Love & Hate
by True China Sorrows
Summary: They say that there's a fine line between love and hate; but they have never loved like this.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own the plot and the main (?) character, my OC anyway. I think she's the main character. Everything else belongs to their own rightful, respected owners. The scene, the first one that takes place is inspired from the cover of the _**amazing, better than Twilight**_, book Fallen. No! I am not copying Luce or any of her past-!

Love & Hate

_A low whistle races past a shadowed figure standing in a blustery, gothic forest. The gnarled branches of the trees waver ominously in the icy breeze. The figure though, doesn't move. Her pitch black hair flows down her back and slowly, the hands that cup her face and hide it from view slip away and to her sides. Her eyes flutter open as she stares up the sky, forlornly. Her piercing dark chocolate eyes contrast against her near white skin. Closing her eyes, her head falls forward. Halfway down her face, a solitary tear shines like a crystal in the pure light of the large, full moon directly behind her, where the land disappears._

_She throws her head back with an almost pained look on her elegant face. Her brow scrunches up slightly, before her eyes open again. The remnants of tears glisten along her long, curled black eye lashes. She blinks slowly, struggling to open her eyes from her thick eye lashes that catch on each other. She slowly reaches for the skirt of her lustrous obsidian ball gown. The skirt trails behind her for a couple of feet and is covered in a barely visible lace which follows the pattern of blooming flowers. The top part, the corset, is aubergine purple (eggplant) and is too, covered in the same lace. The ominous silence that surrounds her seems to be dead, much like the forest empty of all inhabitants, other than her._

_!_

A girl lurches upright, cradling something in her hands. Through her forest of black hair, she looks at the alarm with great distaste. She kicks the blankets off and storms out of the room, with the thing still in her hands. Not even two minutes later she storms back in and kicks the door shut. A loud banging comes from the other side and she curls into a ball on her bed with her hands covering her ears. She rocks back and forth; the way a mother would to calm her new born infant. The strange object is still on her lap. A glint comes from somewhere amidst the brown mess of fur; possibly indicating that it's a toy. Her lips move rapidly and silently, as if she's trying to reassure herself of something.

A half hour later she swings her legs over the side of the bed and slowly unlocks the door. She pulls it back carefully and slowly so as not to wake person leaning against it. She closes it quietly and takes every step with the utmost care. Hurriedly, she flees down the stairs. The front door almost comes its hinges as she races into the night. Her mid-thigh length jet black hair blowing out behind her. No one is about to see her and for that, she seems glad. She races down one of the streets and out onto a path that leads to farmland and the other side to a rugby club. She chooses to go down the country roads, far out people's sight. Under the canopy of thick, snow covered trees she stops. Her gasping breathes swirl in the air. She backs up against the wall and slumps into a heap on the ground. She squeezes the precious object in her arms tightly. Her eyes are tightly closed and beads of glistening tears line her eye lashes. Her sobs are no more than quiet whimpers, barely audible. Not nearly clear enough for anyone nine feet from her to hear. The ever present snow and ice around her don't seem to get a reaction from the girl in a thin silver nightdress. Her dark eyes peek up at the thick layer of snow above herself. A hint of worry is visible, and fear.

The full moon shines down on the silent, snow covered lane. A particularly large heap of snow falls aside. The back of a girl comes up and she props herself onto her knees. With her left hand she rubs her eyes and takes in her surroundings. The bewilderment in her gaze might lead you to believe she had never before seen the snow, but she knows it well. Placing her hand on the ground for support, she stands with the _thing_ still held to her chest. Daintily, she holds her foot above the snow before elegantly putting down her weight. Then she's off. Holding her precious belonging with her right hand, she twirls around. Then she stops. She extends her left leg, pointing her toes to the ground. Her left arm circles down to her mid-thigh as she leans forward. Then she starts moving again. In circles with her arms moving delicately, weaving patterns in the night. Turning, twisting and spinning. Until it ends and she crouches on the ground on one knee. Her eyes are alight with a passion and hope and life. Then she stands up and walks on down the country road. As if she's forgotten about the grace and elegance of her movements, that ballerina's and dancers of any and every kind wouldn't think twice about killing for. Even supernatural beings like the calm and eloquent vampires we imagine would kill for grace and beauty of that standard, but she doesn't give a second thought to it.

She traverses the vacant roads with a look of childish curiosity. Her wide dark chocolate eyes skim across the snow covered tree tops high above her overhead. Her skin looks milky under the glow of the moon, but then again, it usually does. Her black cloak of hair swishes behind her. The only thing that keeps her warm. The fields around her are empty of life. She doesn't seem to even notice though, because she starts running towards the bottom of the road at the bend. She comes to an abrupt halt there and looks up to the stars visible in the dark night sky. Her breath comes out in small puffs as she gasps for breath. Her eyes twinkle like the overhead stars as she laughs silently. She turns to her left, at the rest of the road and follows it with an almost confused look on her elegant face. Her steps slow and she looks like she's gliding across the snow. Now, she barely leaves any foot prints. Her expression changes to one of seriousness and caution. Her grip on the _thing_ loosens as she steps forward.

At the four way road divide she stares directly in front of her. A small twinkle is directly in front of her face. She doesn't flinch as it twirls closer, then farther from her. It looks like it's trying to copy the eloquence of her dance earlier. It doesn't have the grace to do so. Soon it stops and hovers lower at her collar bone. Still her eyes remain focused on it, but there's seems to be a hint of trust between the two. Lower again it goes, until it reaches her rib cage. It jerks back before shooting forward. She gasps as it enters her body. The glow from the entrance point comes over her entire body. The glow suddenly disappears and she collapses onto her knees. Her eyes close and she grows still. Slowly, her eyes flutter open again and look up to the sun. She pushes herself up into a sitting position and looks at the people walking past her, like she wasn't there. Or she didn't matter. Then, something in her mind goes _click_ and the people are moving faster. She stares around herself in confusion and pulls her hands in front of her, trying to build a wall between herself and everything around her.

"Hey, are you okay?" a man asks, pausing.

Her eyes widen in horror and she scrambles to her feet and runs away from him. She pushes past everyone and dares to glance back. The man just stares at her, surprised. She skids to a stop and veers to her right. Straight down a darkened, dim alleyway.

_-Chapter Edited._


	2. Chapter 2

Love and Hate

_A dark shadow looms over something. Then reaches for whatever it is._

* * *

Her eyes flutter open and her dark chocolate eyes stare at the white ceiling. It's all too bright, but it couldn't possibly be the light of Heaven. Her head rolls to the side and her eyes close again in fatigue. She breathes slowly; as if she needs to try and remember how to. A constant beeping eventually coaxes her to open her tired eyes again. She looks at the monitor through glassy eyes without actually seeing it. Her hand reaches out and tries to grab onto something, but there's nothing near her. No one comes to help her, or to give her more medicine. No one at the building even seems to _care at all._

She writhes on the bed. Her face scrunched in an agonising pain. Her lips are pressed together tightly as she tries her very hardest to keep from crying out in her torture. Her eyes are her silent pleas for help. Her hands close around the covers and pull them up and around her. The machines start to beep loudly and frantically. Still no one comes. She curls into a ball and whimpers quietly to herself. A soft click reaches her and the pain recedes immediately. Her eyes widen in surprise before she closes them in a kind of acceptance. She buries her face in the pillow and becomes as still as she can. A hand reaches for her shoulder and nudges her gently. She daren't show any signs of acknowledging them though, they could be untrustworthy.

"It's okay," the voice says. A calm, kind, trustworthy voice. "No one's going to hurt you."

She peeks up at the kind woman with cold eyes. The woman doesn't recoil or flinch like she had expected, or even, perhaps, hoped. The woman just stands there and smiles. She kicks the covers off and swings her legs over the side of the bed. Her eyes are fixed on the ground as she scowls. The woman frowns at her before deciding to look over her chart. She's suddenly hyperaware of her left arm and instinctively moves to cover it, but she can't risk them finding out. Her eyes close and she sways for a moment. Two hands catch her arms and she looks up into the woman's warm eyes.

"You know, if we're going to help you then you need to tell us your name," she smiles, warmly.

"Selene," she replies.

"That's a nice name," the woman says.

"What's yours?" she mumbles.

"Martha," she smiles. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen," Selene replies.

"You're good. It looks like we'll have to discharge you. Do you want me to call someone to pick you up?" Martha asks.

"I'm fine," Selene replies.

* * *

She takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky with wide, happy eyes. Immediately, she moves down the streets and expertly weaves her way through the masses of people on the comparatively small pavement. Selene clasps her hands behind her back and keeps her eyes to the sky in her awe-struck daze. She knows the place. She knows it well. She's seen everything before without having been there. Her mind says, with a small voice, _I'm back, I'm home_. Her home is far away, she knows that. How does she not know the place in the sense of never having walked the streets before? Yet, at the same time, how does she know the little details others overlook without having to glance at them? Her mind stops reeling. Her thoughts are becoming jumbled so much that they're making no sense to even her. She looks up at the sky and is touched with a sense of the dull no-colour colour of the sky back home.

If ever she's to be asked_, do you miss home_? Her instantaneous reply would be that she doesn't care for her former home. Deep inside her is the safe knowledge that she's finally where she belongs. She trusts that, and she's not willing to leave. A wave of emotion suddenly overwhelms her from nowhere and she's instantly submerged. She stumbles momentarily in her stride. Her eyes dart over to the other side of the road and catch someone turning onto another street. She stops. People shove her out their way muttering about stupid teenagers and something about air-heads; but doesn't know. She can't hear them. The only sound that exists to her is the frantic beating, no, pounding, of her heart. An unrequited heart that cries itself to sleep every night. She knows she will from that night and on forever.

Still, if just the sight of that person can send her into a frenzy; she can barely manage to think of other scenarios. Talking to him. Brushing against his hand when walking in a hallway. She shakes her head to rid herself of thoughts like that. Getting herself worked up for no reason is just a waste of her time. Something else catches her eye. It's not a person this time though; it looks like a small fox from some alien planet. Her first instinct is to wrap it up in her arms and protect it, but then she remembers the unknown brown object she carried. She looks around herself frantically, trying to decipher where she dropped it exactly. It's nowhere to be seen.

Frantically, she turns and races down another street. Her eyes dart from one side to the other, searching for where it may be.

_-Chapter Edited._


	3. Chapter 3

Love & Hate

_Dear Diary,_

_I had__** that**__ dream again last night. It was different though, there was a light… even brighter than the moon. It was pure, unlike the fiery sun. It was tranquil and peaceful like the moon. Just as the moon is to the Earth, it was there and stood like a silent guardian for me. I stepped towards it and my dress, it changed. It was like a strong wind that blew against me and it blew all the darkness away. It made me happy, but so sad too. I wonder why it made me sad. Maybe it was lonely too. Next time I dream, maybe I'll say thank you. Maybe I'll get the chance tonight. I don't want it to be sad. It should be happy… So should I. So, I'll smile from now on to forever. If I smile, then I'll be happy. I'll smile for him too then, we can all be happy this way._

_I saw him yesterday; he was so different from everyone else. He had a kind of aura that set him apart. What I saw was only a fleeting glimpse, but my heart beats for him only now. My mother once told me that it takes time for fondness to reach the heart and for love to blossom, but she was wrong. This is not some fleeting crush that ends when someone else new walks into my life, or even line of sight; this is real. My heart beats painfully without him, but I don't even know if it's possible for me to see him again. Even if I did happen to meet him again, what am I supposed to say?_

'_Hi, we've never met before, but I'm in love with you.'_

_I can see how that would end. Anyway, I could never actually speak to him! This isn't a stupid romance where the strikingly handsome guy __**with no flaws**__ is the love interest and she goes to start talking or something. I can't speak to him. Other than the fact that I __**do **__love him with all of my heart, I can't. Why? Oh, that's simple, my technical studies teacher said, and I quote;_

_Ssh, I asked her and she sounds like a mouse on the best of days._

_Embarrassing? No. It was humiliating! He got the class to shut up so he could say that! I'll never forget that. I couldn't even remember the answer after that… So I can't even talk to him. Curse my chronic shyness. This is doomed to fail completely and then that thing that brought me here will probably get bored with nothing happening and zap me back. I don't want to go back. I like it here. I want to get to know him. Then we'll see what happens after that. I'll be happy even if he just considers me a friend, then at least I'll be something to him. I don't know his situation, and I won't pretend to either, but I think he already has a precious person. Someone very precious to his heart that he keeps close. Yes, he's the kind of guy that everyone wants to be with. There's just something about him._

_It hurts when it beats, but I can accept that. I'm not like most people; I'm so unique that I never quite fit I with anyone. It's sad, to always be on the outside looking in. I'm glad though. If I was a stereotypical cheer leader, oh so vain and prideful, then I'd throwing a fit or bawling my eyes out. I did cry, but not quite that badly. I'm just glad that I love someone this wholly, and I'm glad for that. I can live with just that. He doesn't need to love me this way for me to be happy. He can just be happy, that's enough to make me smile. Yes, that's enough._

The old journal closes. Selene smiles up at the sky. Her eyes twinkling some half hidden emotion. A look that she's perfected. It's like a lake. Close enough that you can touch on it, but too deep to actually make it out. Then her smile turns more sinister; haunting in a way.

A low snuffling comes from around the corner where the white _'alien'_ fox stares out at her where she can't see.

**Author's Note: Sorry, I just needed a kind of chapter to make her emotions clear. This isn't your average run of the mill love story if you haven't already gotten that vibe. I know it really isn't all that good, but I do try really hard!**

**Hmm, do any of you guys like Naruto by any chance? No one's really reading OpalMoon and I was hoping that some of you guys would give it a chance. Maybe leave a review for it. Oh well. Thank you for reading this. Bye.**

**I own Selene, the plot and the **_**alien fox**_**. Everything else goes to their rightful, respected owners.**

_-Chapter Edited._


	4. Chapter 4

Love & Hate

Selene's hands are clasped behind her back as she skips along the wall of a small, but beautiful pond. The sun is shining down from crystal clear blue sky sprinkled with a few puffy white clouds. She comes to an abrupt stop and then hops down and rushes into the crowd. Her arms hang loosely behind her as she runs, like the ninja she used to so enjoy watching on television. She's clearly enjoying herself, but too quickly, she stops abruptly. A strange feeling swells up inside of her and she darts away. Something in her, it's calling her onwards. She doesn't know what's waiting for her but she's got a feeling that it's not going to be good. In her haste, she doesn't notice the single person out of the crowd stopping to watch her intently. Nor does she notice the strange black mist coalescing around her ankles, and hers alone.

* * *

She exits the alleyway hurriedly. The long maze of darkened alleys was an easy place to lose yourself in, but that gut feeling stopped her from doing so. She looks back the way she came and finds that her memories are blurring, just like her vision. She stumbles back a few steps and sways uncontrollably. The feeling is gone. No, not just gone. It's almost as if it wants her to forget ever feeling it in the first place, and everything she did under its influence. The greatest sign of weakness is tears, and she will not let them fall. Still the temptation to finally stop keeping her emotions locked tightly inside her heart is great… A fifteen year old will not and cannot, cry over something she can rise above, or so she tells herself. It makes her feel numb. Very numb. It almost hurts her to do so much as breathe. It will stop though; right? It has to stop soon. Her heart feels heavy. Not the kind of heavy after doing something you regret. It's heavy like it's going to fall from its place literally. Not a nice feeling.

Then it fades. As if someone had pulled away the curtains, taking the numbness and everything else with it. Then suddenly she's on her feet. She can feel reality settle down around her, and she runs. She runs away from the square. There's nothing there that can scare her, or even be a threat to her, but she won't stop. She's running on a feeling; not like the last one, of course not. This is instinct. A basic, primal instinct to run. It's the core instinct of everyone. The basic need of self-preservation. It can, at times, be overridden, but not now. Fear creeps up on her and, like the great beast it is, swallows her whole. She collapses at the side of a building. Her hands grasp futilely at the flat wall as she falls to her knees.

_It's there!_

"No…" she whispers. "It can't be… Not here!"

Her eyes are wide and carry an expression of pure, utter madness; the likes of which that no one ever truly recovers from. Her eyes squeeze shut and beads of salty tears coat her eye lashes. Another primal force from within her is rising, but just as quickly fades. It was different though. It felt much different. She forces herself to her feet and immediately her mind registers the scream that came from where she was headed. She flinches, scared. There's only one way to go now, and that's back. That square, she'll never forget the way she felt standing there. Something is awfully wrong and it's _terrifying_. She keeps glancing down one way, and then to the other. Her heart wrenches painfully in her grief stricken chest. In the end, self-preservation wins out. Every step or two she glances behind at a threat that's clearly not there. That obviously to everyone, never was; everyone but her. It hurt deep inside her chest, that same feeling from the last time she was at the square. Still, it wasn't quite as painful as then.

"Watch where you're going!" Jack Atlas snaps.

She peers up at him from under her eye lashes. The fear in her is crystal clear. Never before has she ever felt that she was in such danger. Whatever is coming, it's definitely life threatening…

**Author's Note: Got any suggestions or theories? I'd like to hear them.**

**I own Selene, the brown thing, alien fox and the plot. I don't think I've missed anything out.**

_-Chapter Edited._


	5. Chapter 5

Love & Hate

Selene immediately glares at him. There are just some things that can, and will, set her off like a rocket. Being spoken down to isn't usually one, but he's not a figure of authority like a teacher. So it should be okay right? Not. She quickly stutters out an apology like the weak willed person she is, and then stumbles to her feet. It's gone just like a click of the fingers. Those strange feelings are gone. She gasps quietly and stands up straight. The way she came… No, it couldn't be. Could it? That was impossible though. They're dead already! She whimpers and touches her temple to try and placate her raging thoughts and ease her tired mind. However, the skin there burns with a heat she definitely wasn't expecting. She pulls her hands away, startled. That wasn't normal. She stares down at her shaking hands for a moment. Her mind is screaming for her to run. To do something, anything! Her body though has gone into lockdown. So she's going to have to face down whatever is coming. Her heart is pounding against her rib cage so hard that she can practically feel it breaking its way through. Somehow the pain isn't there and she's, in a sense, completely free.

"What do you want?" Jack mutters, slightly annoyed.

Her eyes flash over to him portraying shock. She really didn't understand at all. No, she understood what he said perfectly. Why would he assume she wanted something from him though? Immediately her hands clasp in front of her and she looks him in the eye. It's almost a shock to him though. He recognises that particular stance. The day he was accidently, along with everyone else, led on a wild goose chase and got lost in a museum. Portraits had women in that stance, but those particular portraits were hundreds of years old. Why would anyone be so stupid to actually want to be like them in any way?

"Why would you presume I wanted something?" she asks timidly, stuttering momentarily.

"You're staring at me," he states. Not too pleased by the sound of it.

Selene quickly looks away and murmurs a softly spoken apology. Tears threaten to prick at her eyes for some reason. She turns to walk away, but something stops her in her tracks. She looks up and to her left, at the giant television situated on the side of the skyscraper. There's that feeling in her gut that something isn't right again. She wants to leave, to go somewhere better. She wants to be anywhere but where she is, but she can't. Her breath catches in her throat and panic takes over. Without realising it, she whispers _move_. Such a small, insignificant word. No one would pay attention to it, or even bother to listen. Of course, no one did hear it to pay attention.

Except for one person. Someone heard that one little word. It was Jack, but he already thought she was weird. Then, with a great _crack!_ the screen falls from its place. He looks over at Selene, but she's already running. Running away in panic and fright. She doesn't want to watch that. She's scared, and that makes her so very much irrational. So much so, that she doesn't notice what she's heading towards. If only she had seen before…

**Author's Note: Sorry for the super late upload! I'll make it up to you, I promise! So, please leave a review.**

_Disclaimer: I own Selene, the brown thing, the plot, and the alien fox. Everything else goes to their rightful, respected owners… I wish I did own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise though._

_-Chapter Edited._


	6. Chapter 6

Love & Hate

2 Months Later

"If only you were paying attention then maybe things would have been different," a voice laughs quietly.

Light shines into the dark room, but only very briefly. Then the door _clicks _shut. Outside the barred window, clouds part and a pale silver contrail of light glimmers inside. Although, the window is more of a barred hole in the wall. Selene glances up at the light with lifeless eyes. Irritation flits across her face, and she turns away from it. Any and all light is too foreign, and painful, to be welcome in her life. It has been for too long.

Selene can barely register what happens to her anymore. Nor does she notice what they do to her when they call her to the pale, steel room. The only constant in her life is the pain in her heart. It only grows inside her, and has never shown any signs of waning. It's a non-stop current of pain that never shuts off, not even for a moment. It hurts, but only because she's never near _him_. She may never be near him…

* * *

Contrary to popular belief, Jack hasn't forgotten her. In fact, he sometimes wakes up from the nightmares. Or rather, the memory of what happened that day. He did try to find her once, but only once. The twins found out and they didn't hesitate to show everyone; even Martha. It wasn't a conversation that he particularly enjoyed, and he's determined not to be subjected to it again. He found it almost impossible to convince them that he wasn't interested in her the way they thought he was. It's probably the way they still think he's interested in her for. Although, Crow sometimes still teases him about it. Jack decided it was better to forget he had met her completely, and to stop thinking about what happened. It isn't working like he had hoped. His nightmares of that day, and the consequences, have played over and over in his dreams more often than before.

Jack can't escape his thoughts. He can't bury the memory like he hoped. There's only one choice left for him. His choice has practically been made for him. Jack turns and glances at the clock, irritated.

02:04 am.

He kicks the covers off and walks over to the laptop on his desk. Tapping his foot, he waits for the laptop to load. The moment his homepage is up, he pulls up his e-mail and delves into his bin section. He sighs in relief as one particular e-mail is still there. Jack copies and pastes the entire document into different, and varied, files. Next, Jack starts to skimming through each and every file, and clicking on every link, big and small. He supposes it's possible for him to have missed something before. More than anything, he wants the nightmares to stop. This is the only option that seems to make sense to him.

His search refuses to bring up any valid and useful results. He grits his teeth in frustration and anger. It's impossible for him to fathom how anyone can disappear without leaving any trace at all. As irritated as he is, he begins his search all over again. Jack knows he's missed something, he's sure he has. It has to be something small and seemingly insignificant. Just as he thinks that, he finds a link that wasn't there before. It's small, isn't highlighted and covers only one letter. He clicks it and scowls at the screen as it slowly loads. His eyes widen slightly as the screen comes up onto a strange website. Right in the centre of the screen, a small video box opens. It soon becomes apparent that it's Sector Security surveillance footage. He leans forward, curious.

_Selene turns away. She looks almost like she's about to cry. Then she looks up and to her left. The big television. For a brief moment she looks really ill, then there's the panic in her eyes. The panic takes hold of her in an unbreakable grip. She's visibly shaking. Then, without seeming to mean it, she speaks. One word. Just one word. Move. Then a loud __**crack!**__ reverberates around the square. The television falls._

Jack pauses a moment before rewinding the footage to when she first ran from the dark alley. He watches her carefully as she runs away and back. He tries to find a link to another camera and frowns when he realises that this camera is the only one he can access. So he starts it again from when she enters the square. His eyes focus intently on everything she does. Unfortunately, he's not getting anywhere. He squeezes his eyes shut and pinches the bridge of his nose. He finds it annoying, extremely annoying. There's nothing else for him to go on at all. It's just more stress, really isn't what he needs.

"I thought you said you didn't like her?" Crow grins.

"What are you doing here?" Jack snaps. Slamming his laptop shut.

"It's twelve Jack. You said you were going to meet up with us at Martha's," Yusei replies.

"I don't like her!" Jack yells, glaring at Crow.

Yusei frowns at the laptop before re-opening it while Crow and Jack have their shouting match. Yusei frowns as he notices Jack and the girl. He barely manages to read her lips when she whispers _move_. Then the television falls from its place. His eyes dart back to the girl and catch her running into something. Or rather someone. He pushes the laptop away and frowns. It's just when everything seemed to be going well. Not anymore, of course.

"What are you doing?" Jack snarls.

"Him," Yusei says. "The girl went with Him."

"How'd you?" Jack's eyes are wide and his jaw hangs slack.

"It didn't look like she went willingly either," Crow mutters. "I thought we were rid of him."

"Let's get going," Jack comments, staring at the screen. "We'll talk about this on the way."

"Don't mention this to Akiza," Yusei says suddenly. "She won't be happy about this and she might try to find him on her own."

"Good point," Jack frowns.

* * *

"Ah, the sun hurts, doesn't it?" a voice asks. "You'll get used to it soon enough."

A scuffling sound comes from the shadows. The soft _clink_ of chains signal struggled movements. A low groan echoes as whoever it is strains to reach out. The owner to whom the voice belongs steps out. Sayer smirks down at the darkest corner and puts down a small plate with food. It's only an apple, but it's all she's been getting lately. He walks away and out the door, but he doesn't close it. Instead he watches as a pale, thin hand extends from the shadows. It's pulled back by the chains before it can reach the plate. She inches further out and into the light. Her gaze is intently focused on the meagre apple shining in the rare slats of light. She manages to use her other hand to grab the side of the plate and pull it into the shadows. Sayer smiles, content, and closes the door.

Yes, he's happy with his new toy. Very happy indeed. She's much more fragile and weak-willed than Akiza. More easy for him to manipulate and mould into whatever his heart desires her to be; a weapon. That's what he wants. Someone who won't hesitate when it comes to confrontation. Someone he won't have to lie to. He can just tell her what he's planning without having to worry about her running away or his control slipping. She's absolutely perfect that in that way. It's a shame to him that she's not that powerful, psychic-wise. He finds it alright though, some of his special intense training should be able to fix that. Not too intense though. There's a pain in her chest that she mentioned, directly over her heart, that's worrying. The doctor's couldn't find anything wrong with her, and it's holding his plans back. He'll keep his eye on her, because letting the perfect little doll go is just stupid.

The only outward concern he has are those troublesome Signers. He won't let them take Selene away. She's far too important to just let go. Selene is the key that he's waiting for. The one who could help him attain world domination. So for now, she'll be in training. When the time comes though, there won't be anyone standing in his way. There will be chaos for the normal people out there. The ones who aren't psychics that he has no use for whatsoever. He stops outside his office and pushes the doors open. She hates the sun. She hates it with a fierce passion, but at night; that's when she comes alive. He opens up the document on Selene on his computer. There's a connection, however thin or strong it may be, he knows he can use it to his advantage.

* * *

Selene.

Age: 15.

Skills: Slight premonition. (Needs a lot of work)

Abnormalities: Unidentifiable pain in chest. Hates the sun. Comes alive at night (especially when there's a moon).

* * *

Yes, she's going to be the world's worst nightmare. Premonition, what a find! Now, if he could only enhance her skills. Either way, he's going to have everything he's ever wanted. Everything he's ever worked for. It will all be his. With her by his side, there's nothing that can stop him. With Selene, he can have absolutely everything.

_Disclaimer: I own Selene, the plot, the brown thing, and the alien fox. Everything else goes to their rightful, respected owners._

_-Chapter Edited._


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry**! I've got writer's block, but I really wanted to get this out for you _amazing, fantastic_ readers. It's not that good. **Sorry**.

Thanks for the reviews

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967**: I love your reviews. Thank you so, so, so much for your support. I wouldn't be uploading as fast I do without you.

**Ilikechocolate**: I'm glad you enjoy this. No need to apologise for a long review, I'm just glad I got a review.

Love & Hate

"Impressive," Sayer smirks, watching Selene train.

Selene's training is different from the others. She doesn't duel anyone herself, she sits between two duellists and predicts the cards they draw. Sometimes, she even manages to recite the special effects, like she did just now. She's been taking the training well. It isn't too stressful for her and won't put her health at risk. Of course, the doctors finally found out what the problem was. It's an emotional pain that is so great the only way her body can cope with it is to convert it into physical pain. Sayer frowns, it seems that she isn't as perfect as he had initially thought. It might be a problem if he can't make that pain go away. She needs to be completely focused on the tasks that she will have to perform, because he's not willing to lose everything again. He _won't_ lose everything again. He leans over to a microphone.

"That's enough for today,"

Selene looks up at the shaded glass. She can't see him, but she knows he's up there. There's just something that makes her feel queasy about her training being over. Still, she gets up and tucks the chair back in before obediently leaving the room. She knows that she doesn't have any willpower, not even enough to stand up to his decisions. Fear creeps into her mind as she follows him through a maze of hallways with the same steel walls. Nothing about the place can be deemed particularly nice. It has a stale feeling about it, like it's not a place where you can relax without a consequence. She clasps her hands in front of her and reminds herself to just be patient. Although what she should be patient for, she's not too sure. Selene forces down her escalating panic and fear, she doesn't want to lose her calm façade. Sayer stops at a steel door, and her panic rises again.

"You've been doing so well in your training that I think I might reward you," Sayer smiles down at Selene.

"Reward me?" Selene asks, as if unsure of the very meaning itself.

"Yes," he replies. "You have some spare time until dinner. Why don't you take a walk?"

With that said, he pushes open the door. Selene's eyes widen at the wide expanse of vivid, pristine viridian forest. She stares at the chirping of birds and the gentle breeze. Fresh air, and flowers and _life_. She's almost overcome with happiness, but she just wanders out slowly. Sayer watches her carefully, eying her every move. He's been wondering how long it's going to be before she can go out on an actual assignment. As meticulous as his plans seem, he's really quite an impatient person. Selene turns to look at him, confusion evident in her clear eyes. He signals with his hand to the forest and the greenery and the _freedom_ of it all.

Selene can taste the freedom in the crisp, clean air. She can feel the silken soft grass under her feet. The soft, warming rays of sunlight tickle her skin. She looks at him, confused by his sudden generosity. Though she doesn't dare question his motives. She doesn't have the confidence to do that. Tentatively, she takes another step out into the open, well aware that he's watching her. He's going to let her roam freely and without guidance. Not many people dare to come to the mountain, and there are security cameras just in case she manages to lose her way or roam too far. No, Sayer isn't a worried man. He knows how to protect his plans, and who to protect them from. He's really quite pleased with the genius that is his mind. Unbeknownst to him though, there were people who can take everything away from him. People that are closer than he thinks; care and precision were never his strong points anyway.

Selene on the other hand is pleased to be out. She doesn't complain about the bright sun which is now scorching her light sensitive eyes, instead she takes refuge under the shade of a tree. She doesn't mourn the loss of purpose, because there is peace and harmony. She's _happy_ to be out. It's her first taste of true freedom in so long. She doesn't know what to make of it, or what to do with herself. After years of living in that town, feeling trapped but voicing nothing, she's finally free. There's nothing she has to do. No one she needs to run from. It's a strange mixture of relief and strain. She doesn't know how to express herself.

Slowly, Selene starts moving away from the cold, endlessly grey building. It's happening again, she's getting restless. Restlessness is just as uncomfortable as an itch you can't quite scratch. It's a torment that circles your mind, and it refuses to let your thought drift elsewhere. She quickly reaches a lake. A crystal clear blue lake. The sun shimmers off the surface like a magical trail of dust, and she leans forward, curious. Very suddenly, she's itching to touch it. The water taunts her with the soft little _splash, splash, splash_ from touching the side of the lake. She edges closer, having no memory of anything so beautiful. Selene crouches by it tentatively, and reaches out her hand to the surface.

The water is cool as it slips through her fingers; a pleasant sensation. She dips her hand in deeper, as though feeling around for something, but the lake is clear. There's nothing below the water's surface, all it has in it is water. The lake is empty, yet Selene keeps reaching for something. Eventually she catches something between her fore finger and middle fingers. A strange sensation floods through her body and mind, even her soul. What she caught, it feels rough like sand paper.

Still, the lake remains empty of all but the water. There are no visible fragments of anything. So how can a seer, if you can call her that, see past the limits of both time _and space?_ It's impossible for a wide myriad of reasons too complicated for anyone to fully understand. However, in her mind, the pieces fit together of this and that. Though, she never thinks to even wonder how she knew the lake wasn't empty. The curious thoughts of wonders are of no interest to her, and in her mind, she can see it all perfectly…

_A woman whispers softly spoken words to a small bundle in her arms. In return, the bundle moves closer and giggles happily. The woman looks happy. She looks very happy. Then, something, a noise perhaps, comes from outside. Next, something smashes. The woman only smiles and coos at the baby again. Not long after, the door is broken down and someone comes in. She strokes the baby's face lovingly before looking up at the person._

_She's not angry, subtly amused, but not angry. There's no trace of fear either. Brave woman. She raises a hand and waves something off and interrupts the figure. Still as confident and unwavering as ever. She stops talking and pulls the child closer to her and smiles up at the figure. One of those, __**show your hand**__ smiles. Yes, she knows exactly what she's doing. Her eyes are filled with insurmountable wisdom. She knows what's going to happen._

Selene gasps, hunched over the body of water. Her arms are wrapped tightly around her chest. Her expression is startled and somewhat spooked. As she begins to catch her breath and calm down, something splashes and drags her under the calm water. She chokes on her breath and tries to get to the surface, but which way is up? Is she going down? There's more and more pressure on her body the closer she gets to wherever she's going. Common sense tells her she's probably going the wrong way. She struggles to swim the other way, when something closes tightly around her wrist and pulls her up and out of the water. Her first startled, choking gasps of air taste good, but she almost misses the clear, strange calmness of drowning. Once fully out of the water, she collapses. Too exhausted to even try to make out who just saved her…

_-Chapter Edited._


	8. Chapter 8

**Dear Reviewers:**

** Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967:** Thanks for the wonderful review!

**Ilikechocolate:** Of course your vote counts. I take everyone's opinion. I'm really glad you voted as well, because no one else did…

**Author's Note: The actual story, minus disclaimer and everything else, is exactly 1,000 words! Wooh, life time achievement complete!**

_Disclaimer: I own the plot, Selene, the brown thing, and the alien fox thing. Everything else goes to their rightful, respected owners. Thank you for your attention. Enjoy._

Love and Hate

Selene suddenly feels a sharp, shooting pain at the left side of her skull. She writhes for a moment, caught between sleep and the waking world. Something feels rough and dry - something inside her. As the fogginess of sleep clears, she registers that the rough, almost burning sensation, is coming from her throat. She tries to move so she can get at it to try and alleviate the discomfort but her body feels too heavy to move.

Her breaths are ragged, shallow and erratic at best. Selene suddenly lurches upright and falls straight into a coughing fit. Eventually, the coughing dies down and she sways weakly. Just as her body collapses two hands catch her arms in a firm, yet gentle grip. She looks up through blurry eyes at, who she presumes is, the woman who she met at the hospital. Then her eyes flutter shut and she's out; colder than cold.

* * *

Selene slowly opens her eyes; she gazes up at the ceiling before her eyes drop to the floor. She's still awfully tired despite knowing that she's slept for a long, long time. Her blurry vision settles back into focus slowly and her breathing calms. Slowly, she lifts herself up into a sitting position and covers her mouth to refrain from yawning. She looks over her right shoulder to the stars high in the forlorn sky. She smiles softly, welcoming the night and, unknowingly absorbing its very essence. A click registers in the back of her mind just an instant before the door opens. It gives her enough time to duck under the covers and hide but she doesn't move. Selene refuses to let her eyes drift from the stars, from what she considers to be true beauty, so easily. There's nothing like the moon, nothing like the night and nature.

"You're awake," a voice says.

Immediately, a chill runs through her entire body and soul. She flinches involuntarily, despite already knowing she wasn't alone. The pain in her chest intensifies so much so that she can hardly breathe. It is all for one reason. It is one simple reason, because it's _**him**_. She glances at him warily over her shoulder, taking in as much of him as she possibly can. Her heart pounds vigorously in her chest, longing to be closer to him. She wants to stare at him forever, to be with him, but there's a nagging feeling somewhere in her. She can't breathe, because he's perfect in every single way. He's everything to her and he doesn't even know who she is. His voice echoes in her mind as the pinnacle of perfection. Selene is completely still, as unmoving as stone.

"You're that girl from the square," he frowns at that.

_A girl from the square?_ That strikes a chord; she tilts her head to the side. The memories of the square rush through her mind at bullet speed. _Yes_, she knows what he means, but he wasn't there. Her mouth opens to speak but closes quickly. She lowers her head, still watching him. She silently hopes that he hasn't noticed that she was going to say something. He does and he wonders just what she was going to say. It strikes her just how pathetic she is, unable to even utter a sound in his presence. She feels the cracks spreading through her heart. Selene tries to assure herself that they're only because of how disheartened she is and nothing more. Something, perhaps her mind, begs to differ. She wraps her arms around herself.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

She immediately nods and looks up at him with a small, shy smile. Selene trembles weakly but she tries to hide it. Mentally, she's curled up in a ball and wishing she could actually, for once in her life, think before she reacts. No, she's not okay. She's in love, when he so clearly isn't. Try as she might the pain can't be brushed aside or ignored. Still, she doesn't want to explain how she feels, or make him worry about her. She never wants him to be anything but safe and happy. That's all that matters. She curls even further into a ball, frowning unhappily. Selene forces it up and closer to the surface while grasping onto her shaky at best confidence. She smiles up at him again, softly.

"I'm alright,"

An image flashes in her mind and she darts beneath the covers faster than lightning strikes. He stares at where she is, confused, but seconds later the door behind him clicks open. He moves out of the way to let whoever it is in. Selene knows who it is already, and it's giving her a head ache. Not the person, no, but the premonition definitely was. The dark hurt her eyes less; it also helped with pains though she couldn't tell you why. Her hands clutch onto her hair, trying to drown out the pain with another, but it doesn't work. She senses a silence from outside the covers just a few moments before the covers are ripped off. Selene is propped upright as someone calls something out. She can't identify it. It's just meaningless noise.

* * *

"What happened?" Crow asks, pointing upstairs.

"Martha's looking after someone," Yūsei replies.

"Yea," Carly comments. "She almost drowned yesterday in a small lake."

"You know that how?" Jack asks.

"Well, there was some rumour about people disappearing up this mountain, so I went to investigate. I think she fell in, but I'm not sure how. I don't think she can swim," Carly replies.

"Wait," Akiza says suddenly. "What mountain were you on?"

"Um, a small one… I can't quite remember the name. It was up that winding mountainous road. You know, the really bumpy one that D-Wheels are illegal on," Carly frowns. "Why?"

_That was one of Sayer's favourite places. He said he was going to make a base there to train more psychics… He didn't actually. No, he couldn't have!_ Akiza forces herself to smile.

"Nothing, I was just wondering. That's all," she replies.

_She's hiding something_, Yūsei frowns, watching his friend.

_Chapter Edited._


	9. Chapter 9

**Faithful reviewers:**

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: I'm glad you're still enjoying it.**

**Ilikechocolate: Yes, it's after the Dark Signer arc, because too be honest, I haven't even seen how that arc ends.**

**Enjoy.**

Love & Hate

Selene struggles to open her eyes. Her movements are slow, groggy and she quickly fails. Her head throbs with a sharp, shooting pain. In her heart, she can sense another presence. It's _h__im_; she wants to look at him, to see him with her own eyes. She savours the strength of the urge; luxuriating in its potency when something flashes through her mind. It's not a premonition, this time she sees what's happening at that precise moment in time, but not here. She sees Sayer glaring down at pieces of paper, looking for her.

He's going crazy, desperately searching any traces of her. Quickly, comes the longing to be back with him. She misses the feeling of being needed; her life meaning something to someone. Her heart, however, locks her in her place. She cannot obey the urge; she cannot leave _him_. He's far too precious and important.

Selene hunches over suddenly. Her forehead wrinkles as her expression contorts into agony. The throbbing, shooting pain in her head is growing worse. It's as though the pain increases the more that her head works. She can't stop it from working but she almost wishes that she could. For the first time in a long time, Selene fights back. Her days of wishing fervently for death have passed.

She winces and is suddenly on her back. Her body writhes uncomfortably and a bright beam of light suddenly blinds her.

* * *

"Any changes?" Crow asks curiously.

"Nothing at all," Yūsei replies simply.

Martha had gone shopping but she refused to leave Selene on her lonesome. She had, hours earlier, been in the middle of a surgical procedure. The mental pain was having too profound an effect on her. There had been no other choice but to operate. With that in mind, Martha summoned Yūsei, Crow and Jack to babysit her.

The three agreed reluctantly. The _favour_ isn't of any interest to them. They would rather be doing almost anything else. They've been present for almost an hour. In that time Selene has remained unconscious. Of the three, Jack was quite pleased with the task. He soon changed his mind when he was firmly told not to wake her.

Jack grumbles quietly in annoyance. He's been doing so for the past while. He still wants answers. The day that they met is still playing over and over in his mind. He's considered many possibilities - insanity and clairvoyance being the nicest of his theories. Crow shakes his head at his head. He and Yūsei, though bored, haven't resorted to grumbling to themselves with an almost crazed expression. They much prefer to talk of duels. Though even that is proving to be tiresome.

Slowly, Selene's eyes flutter open. Her hazy vision distorts the whiteness of the wall. Her head rolls to the side as she fists the covers loosely. A wave of emotion rises and floods her heart. Tears fill her eyes, distorting her sight further, and threaten to overflow. She doesn't understand why she wants to cry. The sudden appearance of such potent sadness is the only explanation she has. Though even that creates questions of its own.

Her body is uncharacteristically still. In times of sadness she has found herself unable to keep from shaking. This time is different. Her tear laden eyes are the only visible sign of her sorrow. _It's the memories_, she thinks to herself. The little voice in her head sounds pained as well. She quickly, and discreetly, erases the tears from her face. Her hand soon begins to tremble as she does so. The urge to cry grows more potent. However, all too soon, she catches sight of _it_ and her blood turns to ice.

_!_

Selene's trembling body grows still. She can feel people staring at her. Her eyes slowly, fearfully open. She squeaks loudly. Her hands race to cover her mouth. With crimson stained cheeks she slides off of Yūsei's lap and onto the cold, hard floor. She turns her gaze to the floor. Her fingers fiddle nervously. Her blush shows no signs of abating.

The sensation of being stared at hasn't abated in the slightest. Their gazes burn into the back of her head. She turns her eyes across the floor. For a moment her ploy of self-distraction works. Then her body stiffens. Curiosity sparks in the air. Jack is the first to react. He kneels by Selene's side. He can see her quaking. He catches a glimpse of something unusual. He lifts it and turns to ask if that's what's bothering her.

She glances up shyly. Her eyes hone in on it immediately. A terrible scream breaks loose. She leaps to her feet and runs out of the room. The door slams behind her. They glance at one another questioningly. Jack raises his hand without a word to reveal a tiny spider on his palm.

"I expected that kind of reaction from you," Crow mutters.

* * *

In the dining room are Selene and Akiza. The two are talking quietly. On the surface their discussion appears innocent. Selene can sense Akiza's need for knowledge about Sayer. Her instincts keep her lips tightly sealed. A dark guilt has blossomed in with overwhelming strength in Selene's heart. She knows that she should remain silent on the topic.

Selene's gaze wanders to Jack. He wanders in unhappily and slouches on one of the couches. Yūsei and Crow follow. Although Yūsei is pleased to see Akiza he's still wary of Selene. He keeps his worries to himself and sits by his friends. Akiza is oblivious to the wary looks she's receiving and Selene is too embarrassed to look their way. The boys are inching closer and closer to stating their suspicions of Selene out loud. Luckily, Akiza's patience runs out.

"Have you by any chance met Sayer?" she asks.

Selene clasps her hands in front of her chest. "No,"

The disappointment is immediate. "Ah, I see. He's someone I once knew. You look like the kind of person he'd be around. I have to go now,"

She leaves without a sound. Selene wishes she hadn't answered. _Out of the frying pan and into the fire_, she thinks glumly. She shrinks into the seat. Her fingers twiddle together nervously.

"I didn't mean it," Selene whispers. "I didn't mean for what happened… Um, in the… back in the… square…"

Jack smirks and leans back. The answer is enough after waiting for one for so long. His mind races through the possibilities of her statement. Crow and Yūsei are not so easily satisfied. Selene clasps her hands tightly. She doesn't want to say anything that might implicate herself.

Jack frowns; unable to think of a realistic possibility. "What do you mean by _not meaning_ it?"

"I just saw it," she whispers. "I wasn't just a bystander. I saw it... _before_ it happened."

"You're a clairvoyant?" Yūsei asks just to be sure.

Selene nods obediently. She had no intention of lying but the ability to has suddenly abandoned her.

"Do you know Sayer?" Jack questions sternly.

Selene nods again. This is clearly important to them, so she ignores the feeling that sealed her lips. Unable to lie to _him_; she can feel a barrier fall away, revealing more and more of what's underneath. It's heart-warming but terrifying. The unknown has that effect on people though; people like her more so than others.

"Sayer trained me. He wanted my abilities to grow. He said I was becoming better at controlling myself," she replies sincerely.

"Will I win my next duel?" Crow asks.

Jack glances at him disapprovingly and mutters something uncomplimentary. Selene interrupts him, laughing. She glances up at Crow apologetically through eyes filled with mirth and glee. Her laughter seems to confuse him. He gives her a strange look. Yūsei and Jack look at her the same way. Her laughter dies down and she smiles up at him.

"I'm not that good," she replies. "I can see a few seconds into the future."

"Well that's useful," Jack comments sarcastically.

_If it's Yu-Gi-Oh 5ds then I don't own it._

_-Chapter Edited._


	10. Chapter 10

**It's my happy, happy Birthday**

**There's fun things to do**

**So here's a new chapter especially for you!**

Love & Hate

Martha had started worrying about Selene since she got back from shopping and Selene had discovered her obsession. So Martha talked Yusei into taking care of her for a few days while she worked on trying to find out about Selene. So now, here they are. Yusei's working on his deck for an upcoming duel and Selene, as she has for the past few days, just stares into the nearest mirror. Something at the back of her mind prods at her conscious to remember it, something to do with mirrors. She tilts her head to the side and frowns, unable to remember. She glances at Yusei and his cards for a moment. She's been wanting to ask him about them, but she doesn't want to look stupid in his eyes. Besides, as inaccurate as the statement is to her, curiosity killed the cat. She doesn't want to be the metaphorical cat. Still, as always, she craves answers and knowledge. Not school knowledge, she likes to study things herself like mythology and 'unconventional' medicine.

"Yusei?" she asks timidly.

"Is everything okay?" he frowns.

"I'm okay," she replies. "Um, Yusei, what is duelling?"

She notices his shocked expression and lowers her head. That was the dumbest thing she's ever done. She desperately tries to go through ways to retract her question, or to change the subject and maybe just forget about it. No such luck for her though.

"You don't know what duelling is?" he asks, incredulous.

"Never heard of it…" she replies.

Half an hour later; and Selene is okay at the basics. She left Yusei to finish organising his deck and is staring at the ceiling of the guest room. She goes over everything that happened since she was brought to this strange other world. She briefly wonders if anyone's looking for her, but waves the thought away. Of course they'd be looking for her. She wasn't exactly inconspicuous. Not after _that_ incident. The one that made her an orphan, for the second time. She sits up and walks over to a small mirror placed on the bedside table. She adjusts it so she can see her reflection. After a moment or two she jerks back from it. Not because of the doorbell, but because she saw a face. Someone she doesn't remember, but somehow recognises. Selene glances at the door for a moment, knowing that someone is bound to come in sometime in the visit, as always. She turns the mirror to face the window and the pretty tree outside.

She sits down and tries to take her mind elsewhere from that face, but it looked murderously angry. She knows that look was directed to her. Surely though, she would remember making someone _that_ furious. She places her palms against her temples, rubbing away the head ache from a slight premonition and the head ache that's going to come. The door opens and Akiza comes in, followed by the twins who've just been clued in about her. Leo jumps up onto the bed, next to her with a large grin. Selene looks to Akiza, slightly afraid and confused. Then she looks to Luna who's frowning at her brother's overzealous behaviour.

"Wow!" he grins. "I heard you can see the future! Will I win my next duel? I don't actually need an answer, of course I will, but still! Oh, what are the answers to the next test and do you know where-"

"Leo, leave her alone," Luna scolds.

They start arguing over him asking things like that while Selene just frowns at them both. Akiza looks at Selene apologetically before turning back to the twins. She doesn't seem worried, so Selene tries to ignore it, but she daren't look away from them. That face is too hard to forget. It haunts her mind so fully already that she's absolutely terrified, but she daren't show it.

"Loss," Selene murmurs.

"What?" Leo asks.

"Your next duel, you'll lose," she replies.

His face falls and he scoffs. "Psychics are just out to steal you money. Except for you Akiza, you're the real deal."

Selene looks at him, confused. She was sure he wanted an answer. A loud crash from downstairs suddenly catches her attention. She shakes her head when no one moves. The instinct to help from her medical training is still strong enough for her to rush downstairs. The twins and Akiza follow her, confused until they're halfway down the stairs. A loud crash comes from the dining room and they rush in. The remnants of a vase are scattered across the floor in microscopic fragments. Selene flinches back at her place in the doorway. She almost shows how scared she is, but somehow manages to keep in check. She rushes our into the hall before running outside. Selene doesn't stop running until she's very far away and at a small bubbling brook. She kneels down by the water's edge and skims the surface gently.

She's surprised to find some small bright orange flowers dotted around the brook. She looks at everything from the grass to the trees and the glimmering water of the brook. It's obvious that she's fascinated with them all to the point where it crosses over to insanity. The only thing she doesn't look at are the buildings and the man made things. Looking back at the water, she decides that a brook is just like a mirror. Then her mind suddenly catches up with her senses. A mirror is like a brook. A brook reflects light and whatever is around it, but it also shows just exactly what's on the other side. Like the fishes. Selene could almost giggle at the thought of the face being like a fish if it hadn't been such a terribly frightening experience.

Her head feels like it's spinning suddenly. She feels faint and weak, and very near collapsing. Her heart thumps against her rib cage and it's just too much. Two hands catch her before she falls though. Her eye lids droop against her will and she wants to see who it is, but she's not strong enough to fight it any longer. Darkness clouds her vision and numbs her mind until light flashes before her eyes and she groggily looks up. _Yusei_. Selene stares up at him, knowing fully well that she's in a lot of trouble. She smiles nervously before he pulls her up and they walk back together. In silence. She wonders just how much she's annoyed him, and if he'll ever talk to her again. She looks away briefly, at another small, bright orange flower. They make her feel happy whenever she sees them. Like she's safe and everything will be alright. Something in her gut tells her that nothing will be alright. It pains her to believe that, but what else is there for her to do? Selene stops walking.

"… I'm sorry," she murmurs quietly.

"What for?" he asks.

She looks up at him, slightly confused. "For running away like that. I shouldn't have left. I'm not even sure why I did."

Selene mentally recoils at the last part. She wasn't meant to say that! She sounds so stupid, using such an over-used phrase. Besides, people usually only say something like that when they're lying. She's not lying though, she really didn't know why.

"It's alright. You're safe," Yusei replies.

She nods and follows him the rest of the way back. The house was empty and all the lights were off. Her first instinct is to grab onto him, but common sense warns her better. He flicks the switch and light pours out from the bulb. She glances back at him before heading up the stairs. Usually, she would stay in with him until it got really late, or she fell asleep. Tonight is different. When the lights went on she expected to see blood smeared against the walls and bodies littering the floor again. She knows she can't be with people like that so she forces herself away so she can cry herself to sleep. Selene hopes she doesn't wake up screaming.


	11. Chapter 11

Dear Reviewers

Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you for your review. I'm extremely grateful.

Ilikechocolate: Aw, thank you for your review. It was so sweet. I hope you're feeling better. This is about as long as I can make it. I hope that's okay.

Love & Hate

"I'm sorry," Selene murmurs, for the umpteenth time that morning.

"You had a nightmare, that's alright," Martha replies.

"I woke everyone up," she protests.

"It was a bad dream. It's not your fault," Martha sighs.

Selene lowers her head as fast as she can and stares at the mattress. If only Martha knew the truth, and that it really _was_ all her fault. She had done it completely on her lonesome and destroyed the life she had. Taking her parents along with it. So yes it was her fault. Even though she didn't mean it. If only they knew the lies she was telling, the innocence she was feigning. She couldn't tell them that! Still, if ever he were to ask her about her past there would be no getting around it. She knows it was all her fault even though the police couldn't find any evidence. The judges at the court even told her that she was guilty. Everyone did, and she knew also because she really _was_ to blame for it all.

"Selene, are you alright?" Martha frowns.

"I'm fine," she smiles sadly. "I'm just a little tired, that's all. I'm sorry for waking you."

"It's not your fault. How many times do I have to tell you that? Good night Selene,"

Selene was tempted to answer as Martha was leaving, but kept her lips sealed. She glances around her room and quickly flicks off the light. No matter how bad things were, or how scared she became, the lights would remain off at night. Nature was in a bad enough situation and she doesn't plan on making it any worse because of her cowardice. Immediately, a glisten catches her eyes. She turns to look at it more closely. The mirror. Suddenly, it lights up as if a light was projected onto it. She flinches back, but keeps her eyes fixed on it. The lights then suddenly swerve to the side. Car lights. Then they focus on something else just a moment before they collide. Selene gasps and falls back. Her wide eyes stare at the ceiling in absolute shock and horror. She's scared. Terrified. What was that supposed to mean?

She draws the grey cardigan closer around her and stares at her surroundings. She wasn't too sure how she got there. She remembers seeing the mirror and then messing around in the room, and then being where she is. The woods somewhere close by, but not so close that they could find her easily. Her heart pounds in her chest erratically. She can see her breath and the stars up above. It's a cold night. Too cold for someone in a thin, white summer dress and thin grey cardigan and no shoes. She isn't that cold, physically that is. The scene from the mirror is just too much for her to take in. She needs to find somewhere to just breathe and not worry about too much. Too quickly the trees fall away to reveal buildings. Some tall and others small. She pauses and sighs before starting forward again.

Selene tries to keep a perfect poker face, but can't help the discomfort that mars her features. She hates being where there are buildings after buildings in a multitude of rows. There are so many that she can't quite distinguish them individually. She wanders along the streets with a strange look that's mixed between deep contemplation and silent wondering. Nothing really stands out for her here. Just one building after another, but with nature, it's different. Nature isn't trying to be this or that, it's not trying to be beautiful. It just is. No two things are meant to be identical, and they never really are. That's what fascinates her and pulls her in. Suddenly, a screech catches her attention and she half turns to it. The lights flash straight across her eye line and she knows what's going to happen. The ending just isn't quite what she had expected.

A loud crunching, screeching sound reverberates around the deserted street. Selene stares at the car in front of her. The vision in the mirror is so clear to her now. That girl was her. She isn't hurt though. She doesn't have a single scratch at all. Instead, it's the driver in need of urgent medical attention. The car is, literally, squished at the front. As if it had been in one of those machines that scrap cars. However, it wasn't. She stumbles back and trips, falling to the ground. Quiet whimpers escape her lips as she stares at her hands. It had to have been her because the part of the car that was heading right for her is the most damaged. It looks like it hit a dome-like shape. She doubles over and the tears spill suddenly. She can't help him, no one can. There isn't the time to get someone else and bring them to a living person and she's too lost in her grief to be of any help.

"No," she whispers. "Not again… Mum, dad…"

Suddenly, everything flashes red. The entire street and all the buildings. The red is splashed everywhere. She gasps, her breathing ragged and erratic. Then, she scrambles to her feet and runs. The scene before is constantly flashing between the red haze with the 'imaginary' noxious smell and reality. She keeps tripping up and stumbling as she runs away. What's coming is bad and painful. There's no escape. Absolutely none. She should just give up, because in the end, no one can run from their mind…

* * *

The next day, the entire 5ds gang is sitting in the dining room when Carly bursts through the door. She's out of breath and hunched over. She looks up at them with worried eyes and moves over to the table. Akiza watches her closely, she can sense that something is horribly, horribly wrong. Carly straightens up after she's caught her breath and looks at Yusei.

"Where is Selene?" Carly's tone is interlaced with fear and worry.

"She's still asleep. Why?" Yusei frowns.

"I don't she is," Carly frowns. "Sector security cameras caught Selene last night. They've sent out a search party for her. Yusei, they think she _killed_ someone."

A chill settles over the entire room. Yusei suddenly bolts from the table and heads for the guest room. Only to find the bed completely empty. It doesn't look like she slept in it for long. Everything in the room was in immaculate condition, except for the bed. Then he notices a gleam and, upon further investigation, he finds it to be a shattered mirror. There's a slight trace of red around where the glass broke. He rocks back on his heels and stares at it. Just enough was broken off for it to be used as a weapon. He walks back to the dining room.

"Carly, why did they think she killed someone?" he frowns.

"I don't know. The footage is evidence, they won't let anyone see it," she replies. He starts walking away. "Wait! I think it has something to do with what happened this morning. There was a car accident, and the footage from that camera was the first to be blocked completely. It looks like she was heading to the city centre."

"Thanks Carly," he calls over his shoulder.


	12. Chapter 12

Faithful Reviewers

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967**: Thanks for the lovely review.

**ilikechocolate**: Too nice to you? I don't think so. Thank you so much for the review.

_Ahaha. Sorry if it's a little bit dark. I just needed to clarify what happened._

Love & Hate

"Selene," Yusei frowns.

"Go away!" she yells, flinching away from him.

"Selene, they think you _killed _someone," he explains. "You've got to come back and tell them what really happened."

"I _did_ kill him!" she snaps.

Yusei immediately steps back and starts walking away. He can't believe she just said that. He had never thought that she would be capable of something so _evil_. Her heart lurches painfully and she runs after him. Her hands clasp his sleeve in a tight, but loosening grip. He couldn't leave her! She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she lost him, but she never actually expected him to understand. It was too much for her to ask for a happy ending. Her body trembles with silent sobs and her hands fall away from his sleeve completely. She retreats back to the darkness of the alleyway. Selene keeps trying to tell herself that it's for his sake that she'll never see him again. At the furthest corner of the alleyway, she collapses to the ground. The images of red, _red_, _**red**_ keep flashing in her head.

"Why would you do that?" Yusei frowns.

Her head snaps up to the sound of his voice. Selene as far back as the wall will allow her when she sees that he's crouched in front of her. He seems genuinely concerned, but it's her burden and her secret. She can't share it with him, he wouldn't understand. She wonders why he can't see that. Selene half turns from him.

"I didn't mean to," her voice is a fragile whisper. "I don't know how I did it… _There was so much blood_."

"Selene," he urges.

"… Please leave me be," she whispers, looking his eyes pleadingly. "I don't want to hurt you."

"What happened Selene?" he asks.

"He was coming so fast," Selene whispers, tears lining her eyes. "Then it all stopped. The car was wrecked and all crushed at the front. There was so much _blood_… It's on me."

Yusei takes her hands. "There's no blood Selene."

The tears in her eyes spill over and she whimpers. In truth, she already knew there was no blood on her. There was nothing on her, no scratches, no blood, nothing. Most importantly, to her, is the thought of someone being hurt by her. Especially after she's sworn by _her_ blood that it would be the last time a year prior. She shakes her head and tries to pull away from him, but fails.

"Please, I don't want to hurt you," she whimpers.

"Then you won't," Yusei tells her reassuringly.

He pulls her up to her feet and starts walking back, supporting her all the way. Selene doesn't bother trying to get away because it's so nice to be near him, and that she really doesn't have the strength. The scene from the previous night keep playing over and over in her head. Especially the crimson streets. The memories since her last _attack_, or so the court called it. Briefly, she wonders what the court in this world would do. Just like last time, there isn't any evidence to suggest it was her fault. Just a lot of coincidences that can't be used. However, everyone knows that she's guilty. Yusei looks down at her tear streaked, dejected expression. Just like everyone else, he wonders what happened the night before.

* * *

The door opens and Selene walks in. She glances up at everyone watching her before lowering her head again. Yusei follows her in and walks over to Crow and Jack. Selene hangs back at the door and watches as everyone in the room are bombarding Yusei with questions. She wishes she could go to him and help with some of the answers, but stays where she is. She keeps staring at the floor, until a thought crosses her mind. Selene immediately decides that it's the best and safest course of action. So she glances up at them, for only a moment, before speaking up. She daren't look at their expressions after this.

Yusei is the only person who heard what she's just said and steps out from the gathering and over to her. "Selene, did you just say that you want to go back to Sayer?"

Selene keeps her eyes fixed to the ground in the now silent room. "He helped to train me before. So, he might be able to help me now. I just don't want to hurt anyone else."

"Sayer is dangerous," Akiza replies. "He's manipulative and deceiving. We can find you someone else to help you."

"How long will that take?" Selene whispers, looking her in the eye. "At least I know where Sayer is and I know that his training works. What if I mess up again and hurt someone before you can find another psychic? I can't take that risk."

"She has a point," Crow comments.

Selene turns to leave. There isn't much for her to pack anyway. It's not like she has a lot of stuff. She can feel their eyes on her as she leaves. Her logic was, as far as they can tell, flawless. Just the aspect of danger that she's putting herself into is the only problem, but just in case they decide to mention it, she has a retort planned. She quickly enters the guest room and starts packing immediately. The quicker she's gone, the safer everyone else will be. She pauses at the last moment. The door swings open.

"Selene, I can't change your mind, can I?" Akiza sighs. "At least then, let me come with you. I'm a psychic too, so I can protect myself. I've dealt with Sayer too. I know all of his tricks. This way is safer."

"Of course," Selene smiles. "If it's not a bother, of course."

"We'll leave tomorrow," Akiza calls over her shoulder as the door shuts.

Selene plops down onto the bed and sighs. "Tomorrow it is then,"

* * *

Selene growls unhappily and throws her homework jotter away. She almost sends both of her doors flying off their hinges as she storms down the stairs. She throws open the kitchen door, but stops at the wall. She peeks around at them. They're arguing again. As usual. They've been arguing for so long now. A new argument for every stage of the day. She sighs and draws back. Her eyes downcast. Her heart constricts in her chest and she places her hand over it. It's coming, she knows it is. In a split second decision she steps out from her hiding stop. They still don't notice her over their yelling.

"Stop it!" Selene yells.

A familiar sound reaches her, but before she do anything to stop it, the room is red. She gasps and stumbles back, falling. The two are sprawled on the ground with knives in their back. Tears well up in her eyes and spill over instantly. The shock of what happened finally, fully catches up with her and she collapses. Her vision blurring before her eyes finally shut.

_So much blood…_

_

* * *

_

"Selene!"

Her eyes fly open and she stares up at Yusei before noticing the entire 5ds gang in the room. She looks to the ground. The awful nightmare replays itself in her head, as fresh as if it really happened just a moment ago. She trembles, because it did happen. It was her parents. It was all her fault. She feels so weak and useless.

"What happened?" Martha asks. "Was it another bad dream?"

"Yes," she replies.

_My_ secret. _My_ lies. _My_ burden. _My_ curse. _You_ wouldn't understand.


	13. Chapter 13

_Sorry, this is really late. It's not that long either…_

_Dear reviewers,_

_Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: Thank you for the review. I'm so glad you're not bored by this._

_ilikechocolate: Yes, she did come from another world. In chapter one, at the last paragraph… I didn't really know how to portray it. Sorry about that._

Love & Hate

Selene stares at the floor and kicks the ground absentmindedly. For the past half an hour, Martha had been trying to persuade Akiza to just Selene with her since her nightmare. That's even with knowing the danger involving that option. Everyone had given their reasons, which she dismissed and now Akiza's the last one. Knowing what it felt like to be shunned from society, Akiza was the most in favour of helping Selene control her abilities; which means that neither side are getting anywhere. Selene knows that she has to go, but she wasn't want to be rude. So she's yet to intervene. Then, a loud _crack!_ echoes in her head. Black spots appear in her vision and it's not long before they blind her to everything else. The noises have also died down to an absolute silence. This time, she doesn't panic. She doesn't try to thrash and squirm her way free. She stays still with her head somewhat lowered so her eyes are hidden.

_Protecting her vulnerability_

Then, slowly, things start coming back to her. Not exactly the way she had expected them to. These are brighter, more vibrant colours. Then, she realises that they're forming images. Like a collage, the images are moving, and she somehow knows that they're real places. Everything seems normal, but she knows better than to believe that everything is its surface appearance. The sounds come to her from these distant, far off places. Sounds of cities and peaceful country sides. The stand separate and distinguished, yet all blurred together. Then, the sequence starts, and this time she watches it through to the end. Still staying as still as she can.

_Growing and growing_

Her eyes flutter open and she leans back. Her eyes dart from one person to another without anyone noticing. A small smile crosses her face, but disappears almost immediately. Then she gets up and starts walking away. She can feel their eyes on her retreating figure and pays them no heed. She needs to tell someone what she saw, even though it will mean that Martha will have won the argument. Then, somehow she sees it all the way she should have right from the beginning. Then maybe everything could have been different. Another pain stabs her deeply in her heart. Immediately, her legs go weak and she slumps against the wall. The constant _thump, thump, thump_ of her heart echoes in her mind, and for a while, that's all that exists to her. Then his shadow comes into her sight and she barely contains that smile of hers.

_Bound forever in a turmoil that will burst and destroy all that she loves_

Yusei is the first thing she sees when she starts to come around. She notes how relieved he looks, and that he's called no one else around. Their own little private moment. Selene shakes her head to clear her head and he helps to pull her up. She feels a blush stain her cheeks with that small, shy smile. She knows now, truly, that she lives for him and for everything he's ever done and ever will do. Her entire existence depends on his now, and his choices will influence her very core. She's safe when she's near him, and she never wants to leave his arms, but she does. Her eyes flash up and meet his, and quickly she turns away and walks off. The thoughts racing in her head are all mixed up together, but she knows that she needs to tell someone. Someone needs to know what she saw, and they have to know immediately.

_Life and love forever intertwined_

Selene sighs and leans against a doorway. No one listened to her, they thought she was crazy. She looks out the window. Outside it's gotten pretty dark. She decides to head back when something flashes by the window. Having had no premonition to warn her of imminent danger, she ventures out after whatever it was. Outside she finds a soft, light turquoise glow from that alien fox creature she had seen before. It instantly has her intrigued and she kneels by its curled up form. Tentatively, he hand reaches out for the creature and it seems to sense her movements because it moves. The creature is half crouched and half turned to her. A hissing sound comes from it and she pulls back. It sniffs at her and proceeds to cautiously move closer. Then it dawns on her.

"That glow, it was your master wasn't it?" Selene whispers. "Don't look at me like that, I didn't ask for it to bring me here to a foreign world… I should be heading back in now."

Then she glances back at the creature, only to find that it's disappeared. She stands up abruptly and quickly glances around her warily. She sees something in the undergrowth. Instinct tells that whatever it is, it isn't something she wants to encounter. Then she turns and runs back inside as fast as she can. She doesn't give even a backward glance, which is a shame, because then she might have seen the glowing eyes.

_The eyes that none escape_

_Disclaimer: If it's YuGiOh at all, from any series. Then it isn't mine._


	14. Chapter 14

Love & Hate

Selene stares out at the clear blue lake from her window. It had been a few days since she had gone to Sayer's hide out. Her mind flashes back to Akiza, Yusei and Luna, and everyone else. She closes her eyes and clasps her hands tightly.

"Please forgive me for leaving. I just couldn't stay. I couldn't tell you where I was going… you would never forgive me," she whispers.

There are deep wounds in her nearly shattered heart. She misses _him_ with all of her being, but she can't go back. Not yet anyway. Tears spring up in the corners of her eyes. The more progress she made, the better she would be for it, and she'd be able to go back. _Would they still want me back?_ She smiles sadly. Her hand grasps the white material of her dress close to her heart. The memories of why and when are permanently locked behind her eyes, and she daren't sleep because of it.

"I can never make it up to those people…" she whispers. "but, for their memories, I'll try and control it."

The calm waters of the lake begin shifting slightly when her eyes rest on them. With each new, soft splash, she keeps being pulled back in towards a distant memory she can't grasp. The strangest part, is that she doesn't recognise the memory as her own, but if it was someone else's, how does she have it and why? Selene raises her hand and the water stills. Next, her eyes flicker to the vibrant green of the trees. A low moaning, creaking sound comes from those in her direct gaze before they snap in two. She closes her eyes and leans against the wall. The power was pushing against her frail defences again. She had to stop it. There was no way that she could let it out again. She didn't want to think of all the casualties, or hear their screams in her head again. She'd hurt too many people, and in too many ways to make up for it. Or so she sees it. She places her hands to her temples;

"_Run!" a desperate voice yells. "Get away from us!"_

_The tall sky scrapers that stretch up, reaching for the Heavens begin to crumble. The Earth itself trembles. Hordes of people run as fast as they can to try and avoid the stone bricks and walls coming down around them like rain. Then, right at the very epicentre of all the chaos, and surrounded by whirling winds, is Selene herself. Her eyes narrow in a glare at some unfortunate people struggling to get moving. She raises her hand and large vines burst from the ground, they grab those people by their ankles and drag them towards a large and seemingly bottomless ravine._

"… Oh," she frowns, murmuring. "I thought I was getting somewhere with this training…"

* * *

"D'you see that?" a security officer gapes. "It came from _her_!"

"I know right! You think she might be a cousin of the Black Rose?" another whispers.

"I don't see why not," the firs comments. "Just meaningless destruction left in their wake."

"Hm," Trudge pauses. "What're you talking about?"

The two officers freeze suddenly. Their mouths unmoving and utterly silent. As if that wouldn't be suspicious. Trudge nudges past them and his jaw drops at the footage. It was from the only working security camera they found in _that_ area. Then he realises just where Selene went, and the answer was horrifically bad. If she was pulled in by him… He ejects the DVD and breaks into a run; ignoring the startled looks from the officers as he goes. Trudge glances back at the disk, worried.

"What was that all about?" the first officer frowns.

"Dunno," the second replies. "Must be his age. It's getting to his head."

* * *

"Martha!" Trudge yells, bursting into the room.

"Hmm, what is it?" she frowns.

He waves the disk frantically as he tries to catch his breath. Then he stumbles over to the television and pushes it into the correct slot. Then he sits down where he is, still trying to catch his breath. The screen flickers and crackles loudly, almost as if the disk was broken. Then, colour flashes onto the screen.

_The focus of the camera was on a downtown street in Satellite. People were busy bustling in and out of shops. Going here and there. Each person was walking hurriedly, except for one. Selene and she was walking along a virtually empty street. Her head was lowered, as if she was ashamed of something, or too scared to look up. Then, she comes to a sudden halt. One that takes her by surprise too. The next moment she collapses and struggles to get back up. Then, the street starts trembling. Large thorned vines, as thick as five muscle-bound arms, shatter the round as they rise up. Not only that, but they're only rising up around Selene. The vines then recoil before shooting forward and attacking those unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity._

"Trudge, where are you going?" Mina frowns.

"She's caused a lot of damage and destruction, and she was already thought to have killed someone… We have no choice but to put her in prison. There's too much stacked up against her," he sighs.

"It's not her fault!" Akiza exclaims. "She can't control her abilities; that isn't fair!"

"I agree," Martha nods. "You shouldn't blame her for what she can't control."

"She hasn't come back here by any chance, has she?" Trudge frowns.

"No, why?" Yusei asks.

"Then, I have no choice," Trudge nods, trying to convince himself as well. "but, I'll give you a three day head start. I think she went to Sayer. If you can get her back, and under control by then, she might be let off the hook."

"_Might_ be?" Crow glowers. "That's not good enough."

"That's the best I can do," Trudge raises his hands in surrender. "I didn't make the law."

He sighs and leaves. They can tell that he wants to do more, even if just a little, for her, but he was right when he said he didn't make the law. The matter was out of their hands. Carly hunches over and frowns.

"The road up on that mountain, where the duel runners aren't allowed. I was there when I first found her… He might not have had time to move, or he could have left something behind…" she offers.

"Thanks Carly," Jack _nearly_ smiles.

"So it's settled then, we go and bring her back," Yusei nods.

**Author's Note: I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! I can never apologise enough! No excuses are valid either, oh, sorry! I KEPT YOU WAITING TOO LONG!**

**Don't worry; the next one will come soon. However, I don't really have the right to ask this after leaving you all hanging for so long, but please review. This is my second most read fanfiction, and the reviews I get don't reflect that… So, pretty please with cherries and bananas and cream and meringue and ice cream and sprinkles, and hundreds of thousands on top…. *Gasp, gasp* please review… *Faints from lack of oxygen***


	15. Chapter 15

Love & Hate

"Nngh," Selene groans.

The gilded light of dawn from outside was, for her anyway, one of the greatest eye sores. Darkness was one of her favourite parts of night; it didn't drag you out screaming from the comfortable depths of sleep. She turns her back to it, trying to claw back a few more precious minutes of sleep, but no such luck. The door opens and Sayer walks in, smirking down at her. She doesn't need, or want, to see that arrogant expression of his. He taps her on the shoulder gently, careful not to incur her wrath unnecessarily.

"I know you're awake Selene," Sayer prods. "We have training today."

"We have training every day," she protests, sitting up. "What makes today so special?"

"The previous approach doesn't seem to be working. So this time, we want to try and see when and if you're abilities overcome you. That way we can plan ahead and work on that specific area," Sayer smirks. "There really is no time to lose, so hurry."

She slumps against the wall after he leaves. Then, with a fierce determination, she drags herself out of bed and towards the closet. She skims through absentmindedly before settling on navy blue jeans, a black vest top and fingerless, lace gloves. After ten minutes of rolling about, and trying to find that other glove, which she had just a second ago, she steps out of her cell… Ahem, dorm room. The walls are made of steel, and are metres thick, making them nearly impenetrable. _Now we're getting somewhere, but I just hope this works…._ Selene stops in her tracks. A strange pulsating energy is coming towards her. The pulses aren't visible, nor are they threatening, but they're unusual. On her first instinct, she takes an almost defensive, yet still offensive stance. Just in case. The pulses become weaker until they finally dissipate completely.

Sayer scowls. "Where _is_ she?"

The metal door suddenly collides with the wall, nearly crushing the handle. Selene storms in and the door rebounds, slamming shut. She stops in front of him with a clearly displeased expression. She blows some strays strands of hair out of her face, and Sayer chuckles. Her expression softens, pleased to have her life mean something, even if just momentarily.

"Remind me not to wake you early again," he remarks.

She scowls. "Geez, I'm not that bad!"

"Are you ready, Selene?" Sayer asks from inside a shatter proof glass room. She nods. "Alright then. In your own time, don't force anything."

She lowers her head and closes her eyes. Her fingers press against her temples. Slowly, her mind slips further and further away from everything. Darkness closes in around her, pressing and pushing against her conscious. She isn't searching for anything, just as Sayer said; she was not to force anything. That could have dire consequences and she swore to avoid it no matter what. Then, light starts shifting back into focus. Starting as just a monologue white, then becoming so bright it was blinding. Then, when her conscious re-welcomed sight, she was surrounded by vibrant colours. They too, eventually settle down. The images then blur beyond all recognition and as hard as she tries to get it back into pristine condition; she can't.

Sayer frowns at the readings on the control panel in front of him. It seems that his _perfect pawn_ was anything but. She was more resistant to what she thought was wrong, and she was uncontrollable when she loses control. So much so, that even he fears her. His plans are scattered fragments of a once beautiful scheme that he failed to gather the correct materials for. Then, something captures his attention. A deadly scheme that could go either way, depending on the metaphorical dagger's fall. He opens the door ever so slightly and plays the card Hinotama. The fire based attack heading directly for her. The door is slammed shut swiftly and he returns to sitting before the controls and window.

Selene suddenly feels trapped. As if she can't move, or utter a sound. There's no escape, and she's trapped in her own mind. Next, the darkness returns and covers everything. Effectively rendering her useless. She struggles against the mental restraints futilely. Then, a powerful, _burning _sensation washes over her and everything disappears. It all slips into her subconscious and too far out of her grasp.

"Must you insist on ruining all of my plans?" Sayer growls.

"Selene! What have you done to her?" Yusei exclaims.

"It was just a little test," Sayer replies. "Anyway, she's the last thing I'd be worrying about if I were you."

On that note, he draws another Hinotama card from his deck. With an evil smirk on his face, he plays it. Another fire ball grows from thin air and hurls itself at Yusei. It stops a few metres from him and dissipates. Sayer snarls furiously, already reaching for more potent spell cards in his back pocket. He has no intention of letting them leave.

"Are you okay?" Akiza asks, worry lacing her tone.

"Thanks," he nods.

"Is that Selene?" Crow gasps.

Crow bites down on his lip and partially turns away, whereas Sayer just laughs. Selene however is lying on the floor, completely unconscious with burn marks along her right arm. Really, really bad burns that are bleeding profusely. Not that Sayer particularly cares; he's just planning on finding another psychic. After all, those who fail his tests are easily disposed. In the end, Sayer settles for using another Hinotama card.

"I activate Hinotama!" he laughs, maniacally.

His attack is swifter this time, and they barely have time to register the attack when it comes to a halt. One of the most potent reasons why he shouldn't have done what he had. The smoke from the dispersed attack begins fading away and crackling lightning is left in its place. Sayer's cocky smirk disappears suddenly. Then, the electricity shorts out, and with the rest of the smoke clearing, leaves its epicentre in clear, plain sight. Selene keeps her head low, and her two arms crossed in front of her.

"Selene," Akiza breathes, relieved.

The opposite can be said for Sayer. His mind is reeling too fast for him to understand much of anything that's going on. Then there's Selene, who clearly isn't done with him yet. She extends her arms away from herself. A whirling noise starts up as water pulls itself from thin air and swirling into a long straight tunnelling vortex that floats just above her hands. Then, a low creaking wail comes from the water a split second before it all freezes over to become ice spears. Then she grasps them, but doesn't attack him. The wealth of power building and twisting inside her seems to have placated, but before it disperses to the nether regions of her mind, it shatters into separate needle like shapes and shoot towards Sayer. After all that, she collapses again, utterly exhausted.

In his fury at her untapped potential, which he's let slip out of his grasp, he activates fissure. It causes a lot of dust and soil to burst skywards and when it finally clears, they're both nowhere to be seen. Jack glowers at the empty room, furious that _he_ managed to escape with her. All of their efforts were wasted. Their information source was dry. There was no choice but to go back home empty-handed and hope they have more luck next time, and there will be a next time…

**Author's Note:**

**With the coming of this chapter**

**A new record shall be made**

(I don't know if that makes me happy or sad, because I wanted OpalMoon to be a book. Published with my own characters...

I even wrote it all out...)

**A.K.A., this has become my most read fanfiction and I will not update until I have a three…**

**A three can be a review, a favourite, an alert… There must be three though, and this is not being greedy. I hope you're more reliable for three's than the readers of the previous number one, **_OpalMoon / Vampire Heart_**.**

**Ooh, and ilikechocolate, I loves your reviews! Please don't stop; they keep me going… I usually just get the silent readers, so thank you so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so much.**

_P.S. I might seem like I'm making her too powerful, but I had to add water and ice! I swear. Listen, I have a good reason, Selene is the name of the goddess of the moon. The moon controls the tide and therefore water, and us too, we've got a lot of water in us (apparently). I can't qutie remember if that's true or not, it's been so long. Anyway, hope that cleared it all up... Uh, I have an obsession with ice and lightning, so that's why too. Bye, thank you for reading!_


	16. Chapter 16

Love & Hate

Selene's eyes slowly flutter open. They have a blank and distant look that makes her seem to see through everything. Then, next to come is the sensation of being trapped. As the life returns to her eyes, she glances down at the numerous straps holding her in place on a hospital cot. She tries to struggle, but her body feels too heavy to move. Irked, she rolls her eyes, not at all amused.

"Drugged…" she murmurs. "Right, obvious much?"

Selene glances down at her hands intently. Slowly, but surely, they start to move. Meaning that whatever it was is moving out of her system. The metal clips holding her bindings in place refuse to budge. Their steel teeth-like grip almost slice through the leather bindings. Her weak struggles don't loosen the bindings, or cause the teeth to break them. Frustrated, she hits her head back against the cot.

"Sayer…" she sighs. "Why did I come here? I'm sure it wasn't to become someone's _still doll_. Playing the part I'm assigned without any doubts, no, that's not why…"

A loud silence fills her head as her eyes flutter closed. All around the silence, swirls an ever-darkening blackness. Then, another colour starts to make itself known. A clear, film-like substance comes over it. Next, are the images of a darkened shack that's nearly completely collapsed. All around it are dead looking trees bent over by long gone winds. There are no sounds whatsoever, and no breeze. The entire place looks as though it's dead, and had been haphazardly brought back to life.

"_Um, er, mister scillia, are you here?" a timid voice whispers, shaken._

"_Hehe, you've come…" a voice cackles. "As I knew you would."_

"_Uh, yea…" the timid voice murmurs. "I was, er, um, hoping you could help me out…"_

_(… I know that voice from somewhere… Whose speaking in the dark? …)_

"… _For a journalist? Anything…" the voice replies darkly. "Which case are you most interested in? What knowledge does your heart crave?"_

_(… Where have I heard it before? … What has this person seen? …)_

"_It's about a girl," the timid voice replies, braver. "She went with someone bad, and she's in a lot of danger. I want to know where she is… Her name is Selene."_

_( Carly? )_

A ripping feeling suddenly overwhelms her mind, and brings a paralysis over her. The darkness takes full control of the situation, plunging her into a world of nothing but it. Nothing but it, and her worst nightmares…

Selene lurches forward, gasping for breath. The first thing she notices is the lack of bindings around her torso and arms. The room's still dark, but it's lighter. Light enough for her to see the steel, square plates the wall's made up of. The lack of any furnishing, except the hospital cot she's still partially bound to, make her realise something not too nice. Her eyes widen slightly as she stares, biting down on the oncoming panic. Gasping for enough air in her panicked state, she starts to struggle violently.

"P… panic room…." Selene whispers hoarsely.

In front of her, monitors on the wall start flashing. They illuminate a lot of buttons situated on the wall. The possibility of getting the correct code to open the doors is a thousand to zero point zero one. Selene half-turns to look at the floor, finding traps lay to ensure she doesn't get up and off the cot. She knows that, normally, panic rooms were to stop the burglar from getting anyone or anything inside. They were designed to keep people _out_, this one though, seems designed specifically to keep her _in_. With the lights so dim, it's not worth trying to escape. She wouldn't see any laid traps, and could end up maimed…

**Author's Note: Sorry, sorry. I've been busy and such. The small holiday and all, and my first day as a 3****rd****Year! It's awesome, so _don't listen_ to the prologue of Horror High! I've got music with a friend I haven't spoken to in **_**years**_**, it'd be great if we weren't moved.**

_**Any**_**way. Sorry it's not all that long. If you're bored waiting, try my FictionPress stories…. Though I'd avoid Horror High and Decessus. They're not so good. **_**To Where You Are **_**was kind of rushed, but it's short and sweet. It goes with a song so it's easy to understand. The part with the _still doll_, is a B-side of a quote of mine, and I'll kill you if i find you using it. Okay? Good.**

_**Ahem!**_** Sorry to keep you waiting, and with my rambling and all… Yea, my bad. Okay then, It's a kind of circuit that I'm working my way around so that updates are more fair. Seven more uploads until I'm back here, but hey, reviews make me smile, and I need one anyway. I think it has a sad feel to it, if you thought that too, then it's because I've been listening to Evanescence's **_October_**.**

**Thank you for reading, I love you all for it. The next chapter, wow. Things **_**really **_**kick off there.**

**In the vision she had of Carly, the parts in with brackets are Selene's thoughts. So, please tell me what you thought too!**

(_She can't use her abilities because she had been drugged, remember_)


	17. Chapter 17

_Hi, we've got over two thousand hits, and I'm so happy about that! Sorry I've uploaded so late. I've got a list I work through now, and I had a dark bit when I had to stop writing fanfiction for a while because of a bad comment. It's alright now, and I've sort of calmed down. Thank you for waiting patiently, and if you ever run out o patience, PM me if you can! Or write another review with_

_Please hurry up. Thank you!_

Love & Hate

Utter silence cloaks the night air. Understandably, Carly rushes out from the ramshackle building. She hurries along the dark, dirt road. The oozing swamps around her give off a nightmarish aura of death an decay. Not even the pure light from the moon above can penetrate the darkness where she currently is. Small, low unknown sounds cause her to jump in fright. Slowly, but surely, the end of the swamp lands comes into sight.

"Maybe I should have asked someone else," Carly murmurs, then shakes her head. "No. That was a good source. He knows a lot."

* * *

A loud beeping wakes Jack from a calm slumber. Warily, he looks around his bedroom. There's no light coming from anywhere. Even his bedside clock has stopped. Then, a big screen bursts into life before his eyes. A shadowed figure sniggers tauntingly.

"You sure have a lot of work to do now," the voice growls, darkly.

"What are you talking about?" Jack frowns. "Who are you?"

"Hehehe," the screen flickers. "A, but we wouldn't want to fail Carly, now would we?"

"Carly? What about her? Where is she?" Jack snaps.

"Don't worry Mr Atlas. She's safe… _enough_…"

Then the screen cuts out. The room turns silent as the information starts to sink in. After which, the clock starts working again, and the lights go on. Hurriedly, he scrambles out of bed and out. Reaching his duel runner, he goes straight to full speed. Not knowing where he's going, or what he'll do when he gets there. Upon realising how stupid just driving around would be, he heads over to Martha's.

"Hehehe," a person on a balcony overlooking the road laughs.

"So he's fallen for the bait then," a voice enquires.

"Hook line and sinker," the voice from the screen chortles.

"Ah, good," the second voice replies. "However, the bait is used and over… I have no use for the likes of you any longer."

The person wanders back into the apartment room. The door sliding closed behind him, and the curtains fully closed. With a low chuckle, he switches on the television. On the screen, Sayer is closely watching Selene inside her panic room. A room he had specially designed to combat her abilities. As she can't use her potent powers to break out, or contact the outside world, he finds her defenceless. The television then turns off. The shadowed figure in the room is now nowhere to be found. However, a phone lies dangling. A number has been dialled, and a tape recorder is connected to the phone.

* * *

With the sun high in the early morning sky, team 5ds are out on their duel runners. With the exception of the twins. The disappearance of Carly had them all on edge. Something about that just wasn't right. After all, Carly wasn't their enemy, and she couldn't be… For what other reason would she disappear though? Akiza, on the other hand, with Yusei, are more worried about Selene. The haunted sounds from the tape recorder aren't things you can just bring on at will. Like the screams. The horrified, wailing screams of pain and terror.

Suddenly, a box is thrown onto the road. They come to a screeching halt. The constant whirring of a circling helicopter captures their attention. The person disappears from view who threw the box, and the helicopter moves away. The box though, starts bleeping with a red flashing light. Then, it bursts open into another big holographic screen. The screen is split in two. With one half showing Selene trapped in the panic room; and the other showing Carly trapped in an empty, dusty room.

Then, text comes up onto the screen between them both.

_What does a broken heart desire?_

**Author's Note: Okay, writing in advance isn't the most fun thing to do. You realise something right before you put it up, and you know you just have to put it up…**

_If there's an A/U at the top of the chapter, it's the newest one._

**I'M SORRY! I was listening to Solemn Hour, Lies, Angels and Exodus! Two by Within Temptation and two by Evanescence! They're dark songs, and it made my writing dark!**

**I'M SO SORRY!**

_I do so hope you enjoy. _


	18. Chapter 18

_Ilikechocolate; Selene's notable powers are over water, electricity… That thing that killed her parents, and brought down that massive TV thing. You're my favourite reviewer, thank you!_

Love & Hate

"_Well, hello,"_

Team 5ds stop in their tracks. For some reason the voice is vaguely familiar. It laughs maniacally at their confusion. Then the sound starts to travel, moving around them like a predator. The sound moves closer and farther, as though trying to show how much control he has.

"_Death, life… Friends, foes… Hello, goodbye… Let them go…"_

"Who are you?" Crow snaps.

His response is absolute silence. No sounds whatsoever and the ominous feelings disappear. They look at each other, worried. Then, from a distance, a loud explosion draws their attention. They each flinch back as fires erupt in a circle around them. Panic is starting to sink in fast.

"Death, life… Friends, foes… Hellos, goodbyes… Let them go…" a voice laughs, insane.

The silhouette begins emerging through the hissing, spitting and crackling flames. The heat pushes against them, making them weaker, and the invisible smoke begins constricting their airways. Images flash across the flames, racing from one side to another, but are indistinguishable.

"Give up, surrender your losses and ride into the sunset," the figure commands.

Wearing a riding suit and helmet, make it impossible to see who he actually is. Some strands of his chocolate hair hang loose, but that's all they can tell about him. They know this person in front of them isn't Sayer, which makes everything much harder. He chortles, pleased to confuse them even further. Pleased that he won't be caught.

"Where are they?" Jack yells.

"Who?" the figure asks, glowering, displeased.

"Selene and Carly," Akiza replies.

He laughs loudly. "I told you!" he yells, crazy. "Surrender your losses and go!"

Without further warning, the flames rush up and he disappears amidst them. He doesn't illicit a single scream or outcry of agony. It was all pre-planned. The flames however, seem reluctant to leave. They rage on, devouring more and more places in their path.

Jack growls. "You can wait here, but I'm going to find Carly!"

"What about Selene?" Akiza exclaims; fearing what Sayer might have done.

"Don't you get it? Ever since she came here, there's been chaos, and people disappearing! Look at those fires; they've come to stop us from getting to her. This is all for her," Jack growls. "Since she got here, people have disappeared, and some have died. She's _killed_ people!"

Jack races off through the tiniest gap in the fire before it closes after him. Akiza won't meet anyone's eyes. To her, Selene was a psychic who couldn't control her powers. That was a feeling she knows well, and she doesn't want anyone else going through what she did. Especially, going through it with Sayer pulling the strings.

However, Akiza doesn't know just how much worse a fate Selene had been dealt, and how she decided to use it…

* * *

"Wake up Selene, it's a new day," Sayer smirks, standing in the doorway. "There's a task I have that only you can accomplish."

Selene glowers up at him through her forest of hair from her place on the hospital cot. The glare is feral in every sense of the word. Wild, fierce, untameable. Slowly, a smirk forms on her face. The new twisted expression chills him to his bones, but he tries not to let it show. She raises left hand, and beckons him closer.

"Come and get me,"

**Author's Note: Sorry, because this was written in advance, I'm **_**sure**_**! We're in holiday in Lesvos, Molyvos; it's a great, quiet place. The Wi-Fi here isn't the best, and so that's a bit disappointing. Although, day one, we drove to Manchester with the worst set of directions ever written.**

**DO NOT use Bing maps!**

**We couldn't sleep the day of our flight, and we had to get up at 6! We got better seats for free though, and a lovely breakfast. Then we got to the apartment place/ hotel, and we had been double booked. So, instead of staying for two weeks, we get kicked out the last four days. Luckily, she, hotel owner person, said she'd pay for us to stay elsewhere.**

**Then dad suggested we go for a nice walk to the harbour. If we hadn't got to the taxi rank when we did, I would have collapsed, my mum too. Our feet were killing us. So much for our chill out day….**

**Evicted on day 1.**

**After one night's sleep, we went to the pool, and dad said there was a barbeque, but it was too early for that. So, dad and I went down, and it was a fire. An actual fire set by some pyromaniac. So, mum had to grab our stuff and run. So much for our replacement chill out day…**

**Evicted on day 2.**

**Day three, everything was fine. We came back to the apartments. Then, a doorframe fell on mum's head just as we were going to go out. Plus, we found out we didn't win the euro millions lottery, which would have been nice with all the bad luck we're having.**

**Day four the Wi-Fi won't work like it did yesterday. Taxi's are also on strike, and we don't have anything to eat in… Dad's close to throwing a fit.**

**Day 5, nothing bad. Now it's day 6 and we're getting snippets of Wi-Fi! Sorry to keep you waiting!**


	19. Chapter 19

Love & Hate

Jack's duel runner ploughs through piles of debris. He watches the ruined skeletons of the building sway with the fierce power of the fires. He veers to the right, avoiding the crumbling debris from a skyscraper. The wind had picked up a while ago and it blows the fires and feeds their rampage. Despair hangs over the disaster struck area, even though there's no one else around. His eyes are full of determination. He isn't scared at all, and not because of his past experiences with the Dark Signers. The only thing on his mind is how he's going to save her.

Suddenly, more debris falls from the crumbling buildings. He veers to the right again to avoid the hail of concrete and steel. Just ahead of him, debris on the ground shifts and falls to the side. It leaves a gaping hole underneath it. He doesn't have the time to swerve it, and he's far too close to break. There doesn't seem to be a bottom to the hole, or even an outcropping ledge Jack could cling to.

* * *

"I can't see Jack anywhere," Crow grumbles. "He shouldn't have rushed off like that."

"Do we go back then?" Akiza asks. "We can't really follow him in."

"You mean, 'go back and look for Selene'?" Crow frowns. "Why're you so determined to find her? What if Jack's right and all this chaos has been for her?"

"She can't control her psychic powers, and she's gone to Sayer for help because she can't see an alternative. Do you really think we should leave her with him?" Akiza asks, curious. "There's no telling what he'll do. He could use her to rebuild Arcadia…"

"None of us like that alternative Akiza," Yusei frowns, sighing. "We can't let Jack go off by himself though."

Frustration shows clearly in her eyes, but she doesn't say anything. They all know she's desperate to help Selene, there's just nothing any of them can do. Crow sighs loudly.

"Alright then," he shrugs. "I guess I'll go look for Jack. You too can search out Selene and what's-his-face."

Akiza stares as he flies off, and disappears through the gathering smoke. She feels guilty for sending him off by himself like that. Her memories of her time with Sayer keep her from saying they should all look for Jack though. Yusei turns to her.

"We should hurry and try to catch up with them as soon as we can," he says.

"Oh… Of course," Akiza nods, distant. "Let's go then."

* * *

A loud clatter reverberates around the tiny, cramped room. Carly clings onto a pipe coming off of the wall. She's trembling from the cold, and her breath forms small clouds of condensation. From somewhere outside her tiny prison, is the constant dripping of water. It used to terrify her, and she was sure she would drown eventually, but there was no sign of that happening any time soon. Her only concern was the biting cold that stopped her from falling asleep; not that she wanted to.

She shudders from the cold. Lately, it had become a bit like convulsing every now and then. She didn't mind all that much, it was movement, and that was doing something. In her tiny cell, there was no room for her to stand up. Carly really wanted to move around, and try to get her blood pumping through her veins faster. Everything seems so slow to her.

A bright light glimmers from outside, and then shines in. She cries out and burrows her face into her arms. From the solitary darkness of her cell, the light was absolutely blinding. She couldn't deal with it in any way whatsoever. Mocking laughter reaches her ears, and echoes in her mind. She doesn't like it when people come to see her. All they ever did was taunt her.

* * *

"Ugh," Crow groans. "How did Jack get around here?"

He glowers out over a field of debris and ruins. There was a lot less room now than when Jack was flying through, desperately searching for something, anything. Then, from a long distance away, something glints in the slivers of light penetrating the smoke. Crow scrambles off his duel runner and clambers over the debris. He tries to ignore the instincts and thoughts arising in him about being in a warzone. Not that he particularly believes in it, but he doesn't want to tempt fate.

He slides down one last collapsed, but mostly intact, wall and races for the item that caught his eye. Picking it up gingerly, he knows its Jack's helmet. He chokes back a strange sound and lets it fall from his grip. Irritated, he punches the ground.

Then, from behind him, something elicits a hissing noise. He turns to face it, and sees another fully intact wall coming racing towards him from a giant slope. Crow lurches to his feet and stares at it in shock and horror. He stumbles back a step or two. The wall begins picking up its speed more rapidly. He stumbles back further, and the ground crumbles beneath his feet. He desperately tries to grab something, but to no avail.

* * *

"Is something wrong Akiza?" Yusei asks, concerned.

"I think it's this way. Don't ask me why, but I think it's this way," Akiza murmurs.

He looks at it, but it's just a flat dirt road. There's no debris in their way, and the buildings haven't been damaged much, if at all. It looks safe enough. Akiza races on without him, surprising him. He follows her, but more warily.

The sun glares down at them from above. It colours everything in a wild, untamed crimson. Suddenly, to the side of the road, a large barrel explodes. They swerve to the left to avoid it, and come to a sudden halt. Akiza looks at him, worried.

Low laughing echoes out around them. Maniacal laughter, pleasant laughter, crazed laughter, dark laughter, and most prominent of all, an evil laughter, laced with kindness. Then, the doors of two houses swing open and people rush out. They grab Yusei and Akiza, and pull them inside. The door to a third house then closes. It leaves the two of them trapped with no way out.

**Author's Note: Oh, I'm so sorry if some parts seemed like they were in some war. I was listening to Akatsuki no Kuruma, and Fields of Hope from Gundam. (Both of which have made me cry before) Then I listened to some really sad Chinese songs about break-up and/or something else sad. I'm so sorry!**

**Ahem, but I'd like to say thanks for reading and taking the time to read this. I really am so happy with this story, and how you all like it!**

**I'd come and give you all big hugs, but I've been at the dentist and my chin to my eye lids are numb on one side, so my face is drooping a bit. I don't really want to scare you off… **

**ilikechocolate – My favourite reviewer from all my stories. Thank you for sticking with me, I know I'm really not all that good, so a million times over. Though, I have a nagging feeling you won't be so keen on the soon to come ending for all of this, but thanks for staying with it thus far!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Alright People! Since I'm completely, totally, positively sure some of you will **_**hatehatehate**_** this ending, I have great news!**

**I'm going through with my original plan! There's going to be a sequel for those who aren't pleased with this outcome! Of course, if you like the ending, you might want/not want to read it. I really can't say, because, well, I'm not in your head.**

**Warning! –**

_As for this chapter. I'm listening to 2NE1. Ugly, Lonely, Ah-Yah-Yah-Yah (Love is Ouch), Go Away, Hate You and It Hurts. So this might have really depressing bits, and really __**BIG**__ action bits._

* * *

Love & Hate

"Ow… Where are we?" Akiza frowns, squinting in the dark room.

"I have no idea," Yusei replies.

Akiza moves, and her hand brushes something ice cold. She recoils, and stares at it intently before frowning. She nudges Yusei.

"There are bottles of _dry ice_ in here," she whispers. "Do you know what they do?"

"I don't plan to stick around long enough to find out," he replies.

Loud bangs at the window cause them both to jump. Taunting yells ring out, but they can't distinguish what they're saying. Akiza shudders.

"Yea, let's find a way out,"

* * *

Carly stares up at the dripping ceiling. She was sure there would be serious health complications after getting out. Then she shakes her head vigorously.

"No, they're looking for Selene. They have to find _her_ and stop Sayer…" Carly trembles. "Still, it's so lonely here…"

She curls up into a small ball and tries moving her fingers. They felt like ice. Pretty much every part of her felt like ice. She was sick and tired of being sick and tired, but there's nothing she can do. Carly forces herself into a kneeling position and is glad to be moving in some way.

"I feel like a rusted robot.." she frowns. "I hope someone gets here soon…"

* * *

Jack stares at the light in the distance. It was getting closer and closer. He pulls back, and ducks into a small crevice. The light swings his way for a moment, but the person keeps walking. He breathes a sigh of relief. Then, as the footsteps disappear, he struggles out.

The winding stone passageways were unfamiliar to him. He didn't even know if he was going the right way, or round in circles. There was nothing but water covered floors, water covered stone walls and dripping ceilings. Jack was sure he'd catch double pneumonia if he didn't find a way out soon.

Then, loud splashes suddenly echo out. Jack looks around, desperately trying to find a place to hide. There are none. Next, he tries to locate where the sound was coming from, and fails. Not sure what to do, or where to go. He starts walking backwards.

His back hits a wall, and it rumbles loudly as it slides away. He stares down the passageway with disbelief and distrust. However, seeing no other option, he starts down the tunnel.

"Oi! Wait!" Crow yells, seeing Jack. "Wait for me!"

Jack stops and stares at him, slightly bemused. Round the corner come about a hundred guards with vicious biting dogs. Luckily, Crow catches up to Jack and they dart into the tunnel. Just in time to, as the wall slams shut, nearly catching the muzzle of one of the dogs.

Crow laughs, relieved, and they start down the rest of the tunnel in silence.

* * *

"I think I found something," Yusei calls out.

"Really?" Akiza beams, rushing over.

"Yea, you don't usually find a slab of concrete in someone's house," he replies.

Her smile fades. "We have to move that, don't we?"

"Somehow," Yusei sighs.

Akiza frowns at the giant slab of concrete. Yusei was right, especially since the house was perfectly intact. She tried moving the slab with her telekinetic powers, and fails. Akiza staggers back, feeling light headed and Yusei steadies her.

"Are you okay?" he frowns.

"That person… He must have known about my psychic powers.." she looks at him, apologetically. "I can't move it, sorry."

They lean back against the bottles of dry ice. Then, an idea strikes Akiza as fast as lightning. She drags one of the bottles over to the slab and tries to use it as a wedge to lift it. The idea doesn't work, but she notices a gap at the back.

"Yusei, there's a hole at the back. We can climb over this and go down into the hole," she says, glad to be getting out soon.

* * *

Jack and Crow stare ahead at the rock face.

"This is a dead end," Crow mutters.

"We can't climb up this," jack growls.

"The door, er wall, it's not letting us out either. This can't be a dead end, can it?" Crow asks in disbelief.

"It can, and it is!" Jack snaps.

"Then why did they make such a big fuss of trying to get us before the thing closed!" Crow snaps back. "There has to be something here…"

"No," Jack says. "No."

"No what? What is it Jack?" Crow frowns.

"You'll get the idea soon enough," Jack grumbles, unhappily.

Crow shakes off Jack's strange behaviour. He turns and stares at the wall, wondering how impossible it would be to climb.

After minutes of pondering, he grabs Jack's arm and jumps into the icy water. They both come up to the surface, choking and spluttering. Jack glares at Crow, furious, and tries to swim back to the stairway. Crow grabs his collar and pulls him toward the wall.

Then, as they reach it, Crow realises something. He looks at Jack, who knows that Crow's finally understood. Jack is not at all pleased about that in the slightest. He shakes his head furiously.

"Come on," Crow gasps, his teeth chattering. "Do you want to save Carly? Or do you want to leave her?"

Jack groans, and dives under. A second later, Crow follows. The underwater tunnel was long, and the journey was made even longer by its participants. The cold was done seeping in. It had them both in its icy grip, and they were struggling to move. By the time they knew they were in a lot of trouble, it was too late to turn back.

Something dark under them starts coming up. Its huge black silhouette rises ever closer, and ever faster. Just as its barely an arms breadth away, it hits them with something hard. Eventually, as they slow from the impact, their heads hit the hard stone walls of the cave. Light streams in from somewhere, and they race towards it desperately.

They drag themselves out from the water and sit, hunched over and shaking. A loud thud draws their attention as a concrete slab falls away, and reveals a hole. Yusei and Akiza slide down, and land on the hard ground. Both of them are dry and warm.

"Jack? Crow? You're here too?" Akiza asks, surprised.

The two mentioned suddenly give Yusei and Akiza big hugs in a desperate attempt to get warm. Unfortunately for Akiza and Yusei, Jack and Crow are so cold that it feels like they're being burned.

* * *

_Is that so? Send them their… Welcome…_

Loud barking rings out, and Jack and Crow waste no time in getting a head start. The guards yell co-ordinates and orders at each other as they race through the caves. The guards are desperate to catch the intruders one way or another. A few even load some kind of gun-like weapon before setting out.

Jack, Crow, Yusei and Akiza reach an intersection when a loud bang rings out. They turn to the guard hesitantly, and he grins back. His finger is tensing over the trigger. He chuckles crazily, still grinning at them. Then he pulls on the trigger, and it just barely misses its target.

* * *

Carly's head snaps up at the noises. Her wide eyes stare at the door, desperate to know what's happened. Then, the bolt slides across and the door swings open. A guard grabs her by the arm and hauls her out. She stares at the cave tunnels, bewildered and confused.

"Keep up!" the guard yells. "I don't want to lose my job over your clumsiness!"

They turn a corner, and her eyes widen. "Jack!"

Carly tries to pull away from the guard, but she's not strong enough. He drags her down another tunnel easily, despite her struggles.

"Ahaha, don't move!" the guard with the weapon yells, laughing. "It'll be the last move you make!"

"Then how's this for a move?" Crow snaps, raising his duel disk. He pulls out his deck. "I summon Blackwing Kalut the Moonshadow!"

"Crow!" Akiza gasps, alarmed.

Crow grins back at them. "We came for her right? Let me handle this guy. He won't be a problem. Go!"

Reluctantly, they leave. They follow the sounds of struggling as best as they can through the maze of passageways.

* * *

**Author's Note: Okay, okay. Not all that action packed. I had a completely different plan, then this came out. I didn't actually make up a plotline all the same, for this chapter anyway.**

**I guarantee you though, I can't write a duel to save my life. There might be little snippets of Crow's duel, but other than that…**

**ILIKECHOCOLATE! – You're still reviewing! YAyAYAYAYAYA! I'm happy…. I have to warn you though, the updates might slow. I'm getting my precious piano next week. That makes me really happy, but sad that I won't spend as much time on here. Plus, my parents are pushing me to get a social life. So, less and less time on here. Just thought I'd give you a heads up, and I hope you enjoy the chapter I've just written!**


	21. Chapter 21

_**OVER HERE! You'll probably have reached over 3,000 hits when you read this, yay!**_

I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was wrong of me to hope you would enjoy the previous chapter; even if you did. After all, when even the writer can't see the beauty of the order of the words; the last thing she should do is expect someone else to.

My apologies. Dui bú qi. Gomenesai.

Love & Hate

"Cold… Cold," Carly mutters, shivering.

The guard that had tried to drag her away to who knows where is far behind them now; and is probably still unconscious. Carly's more than glad to be saved, but the situation still isn't in her favour. She's freezing and damp, and that won't change anytime soon. Water is still running down the walls like a never-ending storm that rains misery down everywhere it touches.

"Hey," Akiza says. "Let's go. They're going back for Crow, but we should make our way out."

"I… I'm okay, I can wait," Carly stutters. "We can stay here…"

"We could be found here, we should go," Akiza replies.

* * *

"What?" the shadowed figure bellows, roaring irritably.

"It's as I explained," a recognisable voice says. "Carly is no longer under our palm."

"You have some nerve. Give me a reason why I shouldn't be done with you?" he snarls.

"Think as you please, but it doesn't change anything," she replies. "They have Carly, but we still have Selene under Sayer's control."

"Yes," he chuckles. "So make sure he stays on a tight leash!"

"As you wish," she mutters, perturbed; disappearing into the shadows.

* * *

The last of the guards disappear far behind the twisting, writhing walls of the tunnels. Here, the water is a metre high in the shallowest of places. Deep potholes in the ground make it a treacherous place to navigate as water continues to trickle in every second. It's a sure sign that outside, it's high tide.

"We're going deeper through these tunnels!" Crow exclaims.

"You can go back if you want," Jack scoffs, sarcastically. "Make sure to distract the guards while you're at it."

"We have to get back soon," Yusei comments.

Loud shouts begin getting louder and closer. Crow, Jack and Yusei hide behind the dark corners in the twisting tunnel. One of the guards comes into view, and, seeing no one ahead of him, looks to the dark corners. He starts heading towards them, but another guard grabs his arm.

Guard number two glares. "What're you trying to do? If you keep us looking around here, we'll all be drowned! We're going. Drown if you want!"

The first guard scoffs and leaves too. Crow, Jack and Yusei wait a little while before trying to find their way out. However, there's a lot more water than before, and the ground beneath their feet has become loose from the pressure of the water. They manage to make it to the end in one piece, and without running into any awaiting guards. Unfortunately, the water is still rising all around them, and it isn't in any kind of shortage. Ahead of them is a three-way fork in the tunnel, and they can't quite be sure which tunnel they came from. The three of them were running too fast to pay much attention to where they were headed.

"I think it was the right one," Crow says, frowning. "It might have been the left one though…"

"I thought it was the one too," Yusei replies.

"Just pick one already!" Jack snaps.

Suddenly, a small tidal wave comes rushing out from the left tunnel. They watch the tunnel spew out the water with concern. Hesitantly, they start to make their way into the left tunnel.

* * *

"Water… Isn't there a stop button or something?" Carly wails.

"No," Akiza replies. "There's an exit here. There has to be. The guards wouldn't get involved if they knew they'd drown here."

"Unless…" Carly frowns. "Unless they weren't told! I've been here a few days, and nothing like this happened. This might be a fail-safe that the guards weren't told about!"

"I don't think this is the time to be thinking up a conspiracy, Carly," Akiza sighs. "There has to be an exit around here…"

Slowly, and carefully, they make their way back to where the path they took diverged. Carly glances back at the dead-end they were at, and the slat of light shining down on the wet rock face. It really had seemed like they could have left that way…

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope this is better for you. It's dull, but it's a lead in for the next chapter. I promise, I promise, I promise! Of course, I didn't cover Crow's duel at all. I really can't write duels, so I didn't include that, and went from after Yusei and Jack met up with Crow. Well, after they met up and were chased…**

**I wasn't listening to any songs to have influenced my writing this time. That might be why this chapter is so lacklustre. Of course, maybe it's because I'm a little dull and boring and plain, more so recently than usual. It's all the classical music I'm listening to! Haha, no, it couldn't be. I'll deliver much better quality than I had before next chapter. Or rather, I will do my utmost best in order to do that. If I don't succeed, then I'm forever sorry.**

_Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967 : Thank you for your review! I appreciate it very much._

_ilikechocolate! : Hello! I'm sorry for not really delivering last time. I was so disappointed with it that I got really down… I should have tweaked it a little bit more. Oh, and about the sequel, I haven't started writing it yet, but my head has been going crazy with crazy, crazy ideas! I think the quality will be overall better with the sequel, but, I can't guarantee anything. Thanks for your reviews!_


	22. Chapter 22

**IMPORTANT**

**Some of you may be curious of Selene's whereabouts. She's in this chapter, but, for the sake of the story, she couldn't be here until now. I hope you understand.**

**Also, I have been editing this story. The only major changes thus far would be to chapter three. I added more to the end, to bring across the meaning and sentiments more clearly.**

**Inspiration: Park Shin Hye – Without a Word. Zhang Yun Jing – Pian Ai (Insist on Love). ****Janet Devlin – Can't Help Falling in Love.**

Love & Hate

After having waded back out to the crossroads, Akiza and Carly are wondering where to turn now. They know there will definitely be an exit, but the location isn't exactly clear. With eight untried passageways left and the water almost up to their hips there won't be the time to search them all. Even splitting up will still leave tunnels unsearched.

Carly stares at the unexplored tunnels. "Where now?"

Akiza glances around the small opening they're standing in. From the untried tunnels to the imposing craggy stone face that makes the complex. The lack of light is a hindrance, but she supposes that's part of the plan. Whoever's in charge probably wants them to lose their way in the darkness.

"You go left, and I'll try this one," Akiza says; worry lacing her tone.

Carly nods, however, the moment she turns, she bumps into Jack. Rubbing her head, she staggers back slightly dizzy. Akiza's face brightens.

"What are you still doing here?" Jack exclaims, irked. "You were supposed to leave."

"We're trying to, but all we've come across are dead ends," Akiza sighs. "We've tried three tunnels."

"I came through here before," Crow comments. "That one goes deeper into the complex."

"Good, that's one more off our list," Carly smiles. "Just seven left…"

"Then we'll have to split up," Yusei says.

"No. You can't be serious we don't know how long they go on for. We could get lost," Akiza frowns.

"Someone do something!" Crow exclaims. "The water isn't exactly slowing!"

"Um, Akiza and I said we'd look down these tunnels. You can check those ones," Carly stammers, wandering off.

Akiza goes searching down the right tunnel next to where she and Carly had emerged from. Seeing no other viable options, Jack, Crow and Yusei move to search tunnels for themselves. This leaves them with two empty tunnels welcoming the ebb and flow of water.

* * *

Each person traverses through the tunnels. Of which no one can find any trace of an exit. Eventually, they decide to turn back on the treacherous, loose ground. On her way back, Carly's foot slips, but she manages to stay on her feet. Meanwhile, her friends are having their own bouts of difficulties. Then, at pretty much the same time, they all come out from the tunnels.

"Nothing?" Akiza asks.

"No, mine was a dead end," Crow shrugs.

"There wasn't an end," Jack replies. "I threw a loose stone; it there wasn't a wall anywhere close."

"Me too," Carly huffs as she emerges. "Except, my stone hit the wall."

"The tunnel was a dead end," Yusei sighs.

They try to look down the two remaining tunnels. However, with the lack of light, there isn't any way to gauge how long they might be. One of the two looks slightly, but clearly, darker than the other. There aren't any signs of an opening to the surface. There's no indicating breeze, or ripples in the still rising water.

Carly points to the darker tunnel. "I think we should try this one."

"That one looks like it goes further into the complex!" Jack exclaims.

"Are you sure Carly?" Yusei asks. "We don't have time to try both."

"Even if it goes deeper into the complex, there might be a tunnel away from the water…" Carly murmurs. "We have to try something."

* * *

They've reached the point of no return with the water up to Carly and Akiza's necks*. It won't be long before they'll have to start swimming down the tunnel. However, as the water begins flooding in faster, a sliver of light filters in from above. It highlights the rungs on a slightly rusted ladder. Relief washes over them, and hurry to it.

The first to be out of the tunnels are Carly and Akiza. Next are Jack, Crow, and lastly, Yusei. They push a circular slab of concrete over the hole, and look around the cramped area they're now in. Carly prods the roof for an opening at the corner, and it opens up.

High above them is a crystalline blue sky with white clouds floating along on a cool, quiet breeze. One by one, they each crawl over the sides of the steel box. Only when they're out do they realise it's an empty green dumpster. They head out from the alley out onto the bustling pavements. The streets aren't as busy as usual where they are, but ahead of them are bursting with people pushing their way to their destinations.

Then, the crowd ahead of them disperses in one area. Yusei manages to notice through the opening, a crouched down Selene. Her skin is paler than normal, and she looks seriously ill. Holding her down on the pavement is Sayer. His eyes are alight with a dark fire, and he's grinning maniacally. Selene looks up, and catches Yusei's gaze with pleading eyes. Feeling weak and defeated, she lowers her head again, wincing from Sayer's too tight grip.

The crowd moves again, blocking Yusei's view of them. Sayer though, oblivious to his enemies proximity, lifts Selene's left arm. He pulls out a syringe and forces it into Selene's arm. She winces as the green liquid is forced into her system. Sayer laughs insanely and steps back as the liquid takes over in her body.

Wincing and groaning, Selene struggles to try and stand up, and fails. She collapses as though a great weight has been forced onto her. Then, a quiet rumbling comes from underground. Her hands tighten into fists. The rumbling grows louder, and, suddenly disappears without ever having been noticed by anyone other than Sayer and Selene. Suddenly, a great _crack_ echoes out. A large tree root bursts out from the ground.

Instantly, panic sets in for everyone. Those unfortunate to be the area turn and run away as more and more roots burst out. Loud screams ring out, and now, Crow, Jack, Akiza and Carly have noticed Selene too. More and more roots are breaking out and writhing, knocking people off their feet. Selene tries to force down the eruption of power, futilely. Once again, she fails to stand up, and is reduced to lying on the ground, nearly unconscious.

Sayer, still grinning, walks over to Selene. He kneels down and whispers into ear, and then he pulls her up to her knees. She struggles to stay up like that, but Sayer has already left her there on her own.

Exchanging worried glances, they wonder how they should get involved. After all, they can't turn away when this is happening. The first to move is Akiza, and the rest follow her. However, Carly stays behind because Jack forbade her to be involved.

"Run!" someone amidst the crowd yells.

The tall sky scrapers that stretch up, reaching for the Heavens begin to crumble. The Earth itself trembles. Hordes of people run as fast as they can to try and avoid the stone bricks and walls coming down around them like rain. Then, right at the very epicentre of all the chaos, and surrounded by whirling winds, is Selene herself. Her eyes narrow in a glare at some unfortunate people struggling to get moving. She raises her hand and large vines burst from the ground, they grab those people by their ankles and drag them towards a large and seemingly bottomless ravine.

A large slab smashes into the vines, and the people land on it. It moves over, and the people scramble off, running. Akiza turns to Yusei.

"Go on, stop her!"

**Author's Note: Hello! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I also hope my quality has arisen back from the flames of defeat. I want to apologise for chapter 13 and upwards. I wrote that extremely badly. From there onwards, I have killed my own story. I give my most sincere apologies.**

***. I singled out Carly and Akiza for the obvious reason. They're shorter than the guys; tiny compared to them. Well, not tiny, but, surely you understand the point I'm trying to make?**

**ilikechocolate: Thank you for your review. Your school's started? I wish you luck.**

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: I'm glad you enjoyed reading the last chapter.**

**Hollyyyyyyyyyyn: You probably won't ever get this far, but thanks so much. Even though I kind of made you read this, it means a lot that my friend has read my work. Thank you so much! You're the best, the greatest, the undefeatable… I can't think of anything bigger than that. So, we'll leave it there. Thanks, I'm forever indebted to you.**


	23. Chapter 23

Love & Hate

A loud rumbling comes from underground. All around, more vines are breaking out. Even tall skyscrapers are beginning to collapse. There aren't many open spaces left for those remaining to escape. The chances for the injured to leave are extremely small. It won't be long before Jack, Crow, Yusei and Akiza have to leave too.

* * *

Selene glances around, and a large smile spreads across her face. Bitterly, she starts laughing. In a visible fury, she raises her arm. New vines erupt in that direction, lashing out at everything in its path. Her smile grows amidst the cacophony of screams and chaos.

Suddenly, two hands grasp her arms. She turns to see Yusei, and something flickers in her eyes. He doesn't even manage to say anything before she starts laughing again.

"Selene, what are you doing?" Yusei asks. "You know this isn't right. Stop it!"

"Oh, but look around, this is _fun_. Can't you see nice this is?" Selene smiles, glancing around. "It's like the most beautiful orchestra."

"No, it's not; look what you're doing!" he exclaims. "You're hurting people, and you know you don't want to do this."

She turns to look at him, still smiling. "I left you to be by Sayer's side because I wanted to control myself… How stupid was I? This is where I belong; destroying everything! Won't you come and join me?"

"Of course not! Stop it Selene," Yusei urges.

She scowls unhappily, but flinches. She glances back over to him, and again, something flickers in her eyes. Selene laughs bitterly.

"Then you are an enemy to me," she says.

However, after a few moments, nothing happens. She gasps and doubles over. Sharp pains erupt in her head. She growls, furious, and forces herself upright.

"You don't care," she snarls. "You've never understood! You don't know…"

"Then tell me, or I'll never understand," he says.

Shock flits across her face. Selene pauses, and glances up at him, so he doesn't know she's looking. The dark expression in her eyes slowly fades. As her senses slowly begin returning to her, she sighs.

"Yusei!" Crow yells, a distance away.

There's suddenly no time left. The damage is far too great for Yusei to leave safely. Even Crow, Jack and Akiza are forced to vacate the area. Although they all believe he can talk Selene out of her attack. Selene, on the other hand, isn't so confident. As she glances around the carnage she's caused, her confidence drops.

Suddenly, she collapses, shrieking. She manages to get back up onto her knees again. Selene then tries to pull away from him. However, by doing so, her sleeve slips. Yusei notices first, and she stops the moment she sees it. The long red gash from her wrist up past her elbow is prominent against her pale skin. Then, from under her sleeve, a trail of blood slips down her arm. Her eyes shift out of focus, and she sways.

She laughs nervously. "I never did like blood…"

"Selene, you have to stop this," Yusei urges.

She turns to him, apologetic. "I can't, it's not mine to control."

"What do you mean by that?" he frowns.

"Sayer absorbed Sasha's power and he injected it into me. I don't know how these work," she winces. "Please promise me something? Promise that you'll stop me, because I can't."

"You mean-" he exclaims, shocked.

"You're right, I don't want to hurt people," she coughs, and a sliver of blood escapes. "I know I'll stop eventually, but more people will be hurt… Somehow, I think you understand what I mean already. Please?"

"I'm not killing you," Yusei says, firmly.

"Do you really think it's such a bad thing?" she asks, tiredly. "I'd quite like to know what I've done to others…"

Her eyes flutter closed, and she collapses. For a moment, everything grows still, but then it starts again. Twisting and turning, more and more vines erupt around them. Writhing and contorting more violently than before, the vines shoot upwards. Areas of the sky darken from the tall shifting buildings and the rapidly climbing vines.

From the rate that Selene is bleeding out, and the vines are spreading, they could demolish the city. Yusei knows that if that happens, most people might not be able to escape…

**Author's Note: I'm **_**so**_** sorry! I meant to start this on All Hallows Eve, but I wanted to write and upload Dollhouse, a horror story. So, yes, I also wanted it up yesterday, but that's when I started it, and it's here now. So, yes I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.**

*** Any of you who has seen Chinese Paladin will probably understand… If not, then check the story status thing. That might diffuse some confusion, and create a little more...**

_-Inspiration came from Ling'er from Chinese Paladin, and the aptly named My Love, My Fate song by Janice Vidal (Wei Lan). Those first lines are very accurate; some of the first lines anyway._

**ilikechocolate: I'm guessing this probably wasn't what you expected of this chapter, ahahaha. I'm glad you really liked the last chapter though.**


	24. Chapter 24

Love & Hate

Selene stares at a small red strand of thread in her hands. Again and again, she ties it and unties it. As she does so, her eyes are dull, and seemingly lifeless. She finally glances away from her thread to the hospital room she was assigned. Tiredly, she sighs, and drops the thread.

It's been three weeks since she had asked Yusei to kill her, and he hadn't. Three weeks since she destroyed a once bustling section of New Domino City. By now she's grown tired of being locked away in a hospital room, which is good because she was discharged in the morning. Selene isn't afraid of those who hate her, or those who don't understand. She isn't afraid of being hunted down for what she's done. Though, she is afraid somewhat, and guilt-ridden.

She had awoken a few days after her uncontrolled attack. The first thing she did was forbid any visitors. She wouldn't even allow Martha near her room. Even after all they've done for her; she can't bear to be near them. The thought of what they might ask her has Selene panicked. After all, what more can she do; she's already reached her limit.

Selene pushes away from the hospital cot. She picks up an old, small satchel and slings it over her shoulder. She slips out the door, leaving the red thread behind, because it isn't hers anymore. With silent footsteps, Selene hopes her exit won't be disrupted. However, she hopes, but hopes in vain. As she reaches the point where she has to choose between going directly to the reception, and taking a detour, she's caught.

"Selene," Yusei says, surprised to see her.

Cautiously, she glances over her shoulder. Nervous, she keeps her eyes hidden, and hopes that he's distracted by someone. Inside, her heart wrenches painfully, but she forces herself to remain composed. Or rather, to stay looking composed. She sighs quietly, realising that he has no intention of leaving. Quickly, Selene walks over to him. Each steps echoes in her head with a thump, thump, thump that's impossible to ignore. Then, finally, she's standing in front of him, staring at the floor nervously.

"They wouldn't let me see you, are you okay?" he asks.

"… You didn't kill me," Selene replies, dully. "You really should have ended it there. You could have stopped it for everyone."

"It's not that bad," Yusei tells her, encouragingly. "Besides, if I did kill you, everyone would be upset… You're not still worried about hurting us, are you?"

"You want to believe I can rise above this; that I can find the control I want to have…" she chokes back some stray tears. "Please stop it, I don't deserve this. I'm not like Akiza, I've went beyond anything that's saveable. Just give up on me, I'm not worth it."

Yusei takes her hand, so she doesn't run away. "You want to be better, and that makes you worth saving,"

Selene turns to look at him, ready to reply, but she stops. Her eyes widen when she realises how close they both are. Blushing, she looks back at the floor, and tries to calm her racing heart. Though, she can't block out the incessant burning in her hand where he's touching her. She forces a smile, but doesn't look at him.

"I have to go now and let them know the room is empty," she says, and starts walking away, but she stops and turns. "Thank you, Yusei, for believing in me. I think I know myself better since we met."

Before he can reply, she walks away again. This time, she doesn't stop, or turn around. The guilt from that is clear on her face, as tears rise in her eyes. Nonetheless, she keeps walking away from him. She keeps pushing away that feeling in her heart.

* * *

"I think I can hear you, though it's hard," Selene murmurs, staring at the crisp blue sky. "I suppose you can hear me well though, considering where you are. I mean, Heaven has to have an all-round signal for you to hear us…."

Selene stares at her trembling hands. She can barely get the words out. She looks back up at the sky, noting how it matches Yusei's eyes. Unable to stop herself, she laughs quietly.

"Mum, dad, I know it's been a while since I last spoke to you. I've done a lot of bad things since then. I hurt a lot of people, and I almost killed one. He was driving along the road, and, I did something, but he's alive. They managed to revive him," she suddenly grins widely. "Mum, I proved you wrong. Falling in love takes no time at all, and that's what makes it perfect. I don't deserve to be where I am right now, but I'm happy. I found my little bit of perfection, and I'm going to make sure I never forget it.*"

Selene nods to the sky and hops down from the pile of cardboard boxes. She picks up a stuffed brown toy from the alleyway ground and pulls it close as she leaves. Those she passes may mistake her for being happy, but they're wrong. Something in the back of Selene's mind stays swathed in an impenetrable darkness. Not only that, but again, she fails to register Sayer's displeased expression as he glowers down at her.

Though, she has her own problems to deal with, and plenty of them. As she makes her way through the crowds, she can practically feel them following her, and she's right. Around the corner, a police car turns a corner. The officers inside are scanning the area for her. They don't look like the type who are willing to compromise, or show mercy. Their little black eyes dart from person to person, intent on finding Selene, but they're too late. Selene has already disappeared amongst the inhabitants of the city she almost destroyed.

* * *

The door to Martha's house almost comes off its hinges. Trudge storms in and through to the living room, where an unhappy Martha awaits. He glances at each of them before cursing himself.

"Yusei, you were the last to see Selene, right?" Trudge asks, sounding slightly desperate.

"Why? Is there something wrong?" Yusei frowns.

Trudge growls. "They're still angry about the car crash, and the damage to the city's really done it. They're hunting her down, and I don't think it's going to go well for her… Do you have any idea where she might be?"

**Author's Note: Sorry to cut you off people, but it's very early right now. I could kick myself whenever I see the time on my lappie, but, I don't actually feel like physically kicking myself. Besides, I have a friend coming round today, and if I'm lolling about, then I blame you! No, joke. It's a joke people. I'm sorry for making this late again! Yikes! What's wrong with me? I'm always keeping you waiting! Well, I hope you guys stick around for chapter 25. The next chapter is the last… Aw, but I'm glad I could entertain you.**

**Thank you for reading this chapter and I hope you enjoyed it!**

***Selene's foster parents died when she lost control of her abilities. Incidentally, it was the first time she used them too.**

**ilikechocolate: Hello! I'm glad you enjoyed my last chapter. You were glad to read some YuseixSelene? I'm happy because I'm not very good with writing about couples, ergo, the setting and such. I'm a chapter in advance, but I really want to thank you for reading my story, and reviewing. Merci, Kansahamnida, xi****è**** xie ni, and arigatou!**


	25. Chapter 25

Love & Hate

"It's not just about the city, or the car crash," Trudge sighs. "They aren't happy with you lot either."

"Why? We didn't do anything wrong," Carly frowns.

"You snuck her into the hospital," he snaps. "If it were up to them she'd have been slung in a cell and the keys would've been thrown away!"

"They're not serious about this, are they?" Akiza frowns. "No one has been hurt."

"This is about as serious as it gets," he replies, grimly.

* * *

"You're following me again," Selene muses.

She glances over at a stack of wooden boxes. The silverish fox creature with viridian shapes on its sides, and face pokes its head out. It sniffs the air before darting back into its hiding place. She looks around herself to make sure no one's coming. Then she leans over, making sure she doesn't tip the pile of boxes she's sitting on. The pale silver eyes of the creature stare straight into her own. She draws back and swings her legs, ready to jump down.

"Hey, who're you?" someone yells. "Get down from there!"

Selene glances back to the creature, but it's long gone. She hops down from the boxes and races through the corridors created from stacked steel crates. She can hear the person hurrying after her, but she quickly veers to her left and vanishes from sight. As she makes her way through the paths between the crates, something quickly becomes apparent to her. Staying close to the steel crates, she glances back, but there's nothing there. She jumps as the fox creature lands on her shoulder, and tries to cling to her. She pets it on the back and starts running again.

* * *

Loud yelling erupts in the streets of New Domino City. There aren't many calm people as the city's inhabitants' work together to clear the rubble and debris. Some of the tallest buildings have been reduced to three inches high. The rest is lost amongst the chaotic mountainous rubble. Though, in the centre of all of the ruins, stands a new building. It's so new that there aren't any windows, just the rectangular slots. There's no furnishings, no carpets, and the electricity hasn't even been connected to it yet.

Yusei is on the stairway to the third floor of the empty building. He makes his way along the empty, dusty hallway. One of the doors is slightly ajar, light creeping into the hall. He pushes the door open into a stale room. In one corner, half-hidden is a table with an old computer. At the other is a worn brown couch. The rest of the room is grey concrete, undecorated and uninviting. A cool breeze enters from the large rectangle that will one day be a full-length window. Then, on the left side of the window hole comes movement.

"So you came," Selene comments, her back to him. "I guess you worked it out then."

"This is the only empty, intact building between the square and," he begins.

She turns to her right, and stares at the floor. "_That_ place? You can say its name you know. I'm not going to go crazy and lose my temper," she adds quietly. "or my control…"

"Selene, I didn't mean it like that," he says, soothingly.

"Just like I didn't mean to lose control," she says, and kicks at the ground before she starts slowly walking to the other side of the room.

"You don't want to hurt people," Yusei glances around the room. "You come here to think about what you did, don't you?"

She laughs bitterly, humourlessly, stopping in her tracks. "You wouldn't understand," She starts walking again

"Then tell me, help me understand," he urges. "Let me help you."

She looks at him, avoiding his eyes. "I can't drag you into my problems. I won't burden you with them,"

"You're not a burden," he tells her. "You're a good person who's made mistakes and wants to be better. That isn't a burden. _You_ aren't a burden."

She starts walking back to the other side of the room, where she waited for him. Her eyes show how tired she is, despite trying to hide it with a false happiness. She shakes her head slowly, as if wondering what to say or how to say it.

"… My heart has always been there for you…" Selene glances at him, unsure whether she's saying the right thing.

Yusei frowns, not sure what she means. He waits for her to explain further, he can see the hurt in her eyes. She still won't look at him. There have even been times when Yusei caught her watching him, but there's never been a time when she's refused to look at him.

"I thought… I really, really thought, it would be alright," She starts backing away from him, still unsure about what she's saying. "but it's not."

Her breathing has become faster, and he can see that she's panicking. She doesn't give him the time to speak to her, she just starts talking again.

She slows, but keeps walking backwards, and whispers. "It already aches…"

He steps forward, and makes a move to speak to her. She tries to speak before he can again. This time, he doesn't let her cut him off.

"Selene," he urges, but to no avail.

She looks into his eyes, and he suddenly has no words. Her eyes are shining with tears, and some have already fallen. She's not smiling, but he can see happiness in her eyes. The happiness is overridden by a great aching sorrow. It's suddenly so clear that he doesn't understand.

Yusei knows, so suddenly, that he doesn't her. She's a complete stranger to him. Yet, at the same time, he's a stranger to her. They know nothing of each other, and still they can't regret how they've fought in their own ways for each other.

She chokes back a sob and whispers, so quietly that he struggles to hear. "I can't stop my heart from beating,"

Having said what she wanted to, Selene takes one final step back. She disappears, having fallen from the window opening. Yusei races over, and he peers down at the sloping street. The window lets him see everything on the street, both ways. There are groups of people, large and small. They seem averse to standing still, and they walk up and down the street. Yusei looks over the entire street, but there's one person he cannot see; cannot find.

Selene.

**Author's Note: Hello, I hope you enjoyed the final chapter of Love & Hate. I'm sorry I made you wait, but, I've been stressed out over Dusk, and, I really don't want to let this story go. I love this story to pieces, and it's so hard to say goodbye, even though there is a sequel, which I will turn my full attention to the moment I have this chapter uploaded.**

**Wow, what a long chapter! I honestly didn't think I'd reach five hundred, nevermind one thousand and seventy seven! Oh well, it's a bit longer than expected, so I hope you weren't really short on time. Oh wait, that's right, you're too short on time to have helped me with my editing, so of course. I understand, I could've used your help on editing up to chapter 8, but, I've somehow coped on my own. Don't worry about it.**

**See you on Night of Ever!**

**Kpoplover1110 – Thanks for sticking around, even when the story slumped. You kept me going with amazing reviews, so I owe you a lot. You're great, thank you. Buuut, if they ever invent some machine that sends fans into the 5dsverse, I'll duel you for Yusei.**

**Hollyyyyyyyyyyn – My wacky, wonderful, incredible, invincible, fantastic, funny, and supportive friend… If you ever reach this page, which I highly doubt because of reasons that are entirely my own doing, I owe you a lot too. Hope you don't mind that I'm going to ignore your advice about the names when they talk. :P Ja ne!**


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